The Wolf
by kkay313
Summary: A Romantic SKATE mystery. Post rescue...lots of other character appearances. WIP, please read and review. Can they figure out The Wolf, before time runs out?
1. Chapter 1

The Wolf----

I don't own Lost or any of its characters.

This is a AU story that I have had in my head for a while now. Its going to be long, and full of adventure and drama. A mystery if you will. It begins when the castaways are rescued (played out I know) it's a Skate story, but will have lots of other castaway appearances. Main characters will be Kate, Sawyer, Saiyd, Claire and Charlie. Many others. Most of this story will take place in the USA post rescue.

In the end, nothing mattered except that Kate was a criminal and they caught her. But a crazy turn of events changed everything.

Chapter 1

"You know that horse, Freckles?"

"Yeah, I do." Kate answered simply. She lifted her hand to it's face once more, and it reared. Sawyer stepped back instinctively, but Kate held her ground.

Without warning the horse turned and trotted into the jungle. Kate immediately followed. She wasn't finished with this old friend. She could hear Sawyer behind her, but she kept the black form in her line of sight. It moved swiftly, heading toward the ocean, and darted between two thick trees, out of her sight. Kate picked up the pace, and burst onto the beach, the sound of the ocean flooding her ears. Bringing her hand up to her eyes against the sun, she scanned the shore, but there was no sign of the animal. This was impossible! Glancing behind her, there was no sign of Sawyer in the jungle. She scanned the beach once more, and, turning away from the glaring sun, and raging ocean, she went to find him.

As Kate made her way through the dense jungle, she smiled to herself. What a day? Something had shifted inside her. She felt wonderful, and sad. Free, and castaway. She felt that she belonged somewhere for the fist time in a long time, and at the same time, felt trapped on a speck of land, with no where to run. The horse made no sense to her, but something told her that the island had sent it. Something about the place was eerie to her since the first day, but until her encounter with the animal, she had shifted her suspicions to the back of her mind. Now, for the first time in years, she felt at peace. She almost laughed out loud.

"You sure are all "smiley" today freckles."

She jumped out of her thoughts with a start, Sawyer's southern drawl interrupting her trance. Instead of answering, she smiled at him, and he felt something inside him drop. He could hardly remember the last time someone had smiled at him like that. She certainly never did. He was out of breath. Kate thought it was because of him hauling after her, but he knew it was the smile. The way her nose wrinkled up when she was happy. That smile faded when she noticed the look in his eyes. His head was cocked slightly to the side, blonde bangs in his face. Blue eyes looked so deeply into her, that she immediately looked at the ground. A fear rose inside her, one she had experienced before. But this time, she held it down. Although she didn't have the courage to look back at him, she knew he was still looking hard at her.

He laughed to himself at her shyness, and seizing the moment took 3 large steps closer to her, invading her space. Her eyes darted up. In challenge? In fear? He wasn't sure. She met his eyes without flinching. The edge of her lip curling up slightly in amusement. And he knew that now was the moment. Slowly, without closing his eyes, he began to lower his head.

They were a breathe apart, when a shriek pulled all the electricity out of the air. Turning quickly, they saw Ana on the ridge above them. She was yelling something, but the beating of Kate's heart made it impossible to hear. Sawyer was listening and he couldn't believe what he had heard. He turning slowly to Kate….

"What did she say?" Kate asked.

"Your not gonna believe this Kate"

Something about Sawyer saying her name made her stomach drop. It wasn't like him to call her that.

"What! What happened?" she was alarmed.

A pause.

"We're rescued."

Kate and Sawyer stood silently on the ridge of a hill overlooking the original beach spot of the crash. The day had mysteriously turned grey, as if nature wanted to wash away any reminders of those who had lived and died here. The sky seemed to want to open up every minute, and a harsh warm wind blew dark curls into her eyes. Sawyer glanced at Kate, wondering what she was thinking. Her eyes were wet, but focused. She didn't cry, but was staring so hard at the beach, Sawyer felt an uneasy tension I the pit of his stomach. He wanted desperately to be happy for rescue, but also knew what this meant for her. Capture.

Perched on the beach, like an imposing exotic bird was a Blackhawk helicopter. There was a flurry of action around it. People running, hugging, and crying. Voices of joy could be heard over the roaring ocean. Despite her sadness, she laughed out loud when she saw Charlie and Claire in an embrace close to the cradle that Aaron slept. They would be ok, she decided right then and there. Charlie would be ok. She was glad for it.

In the distance, a large military looking boat, cold and grey floated waiting for its new passengers. But Sawyer only saw one thing. A man with a clipboard, in an official FBI jacket was wandering around talking to various people. His heart dropped and he turned slowly toward Kate. She seemed to take notice at the same time, and the small light that was in her eyes quickly vanished.

"Kate…..I…." He didn't know what to say. Before he could continue, however, she held a finger to her lips in a quieting motion.

"It's over." She barely whispered it. Her face crumpled, but she tried to hide it, but turning away from him. He felt useless.

"We could make a run for it."

She almost laughed at his humor, but turning to look at him, the humor died when she saw that he was serious.

Oh how she wanted to take him up on it. For a moment a yes was on her lips. Before she could answer however, she noticed that he had unconsciously taken his "letter" out of his pocket, and was clutching it tightly in his hand. She looked back at him, and knew she couldn't let him ruin his life even more then it already was. He had a chance for redemption. It was all over for her.

"No" she answered sadly. Sawyer knew that this was going to be her answer before she said it, but was still somehow disappointed. Thing were so good between them, and they hardly had any time to make up for all their wasted time before the raft left. She turned to look back at the FBI guy, and was slightly alarmed. He was staring directly at her. He knew.

"This time we should say goodbye Sawyer…James."

He felt dangerously close to tears. Not knowing what to do next, he grabbed her hand fiercely, and shoved his worn letter into it.

"Keep this for me…"

"Sawyer…."

"For once, don't argue freckles…" as he said his favorite nickname for her, his voice broke.

She was silent. Looking at their joined hands, Fear and Despair rose in her throat. She was going to jail. All the freedom she felt earlier had left her was a distant memory, and for the first time since she had murdered Wayne, she knew she would spend the rest of her life behind bars.

Almost painfully, she pulled her hand away from Sawyer's. He tried to keep his grip. But with one last lingering look, she started off in a jog toward the FBI agent.  
He almost ran after her, but something like fear made him stop. He realized right then that he was completely in love with her. Sure he had feelings before, but today, he knew they were not just feelings, and he had made a mistake trying to make himself believe that they were just feelings. He loved her like he hadn't loved anyone before. It scared the hell out of him.  
She was going to jail! he told himself. And even if she wasn't, he could never take care of her…..could he? Shaking his head in disgust, he watched her speak briefly with the agent. Why did he feel so much loss? He wasn't supposed to care about anybody.

Without warning the agent grabbed her arm roughly. Instinctively Sawyer stared forward. Within seconds, the agent had her sprawled out on the sand, face down, trying to get handcuffs on her. She was struggling, and landed a great kick to his shins. If he wasn't running, Sawyer would have laughed proudly. He got about half way down the incline with the agent hauled her to her feet. She noticed him then, and maybe he was imagining it, but she seemed to grin triumphantly at him. The agent was muttering curses under his breathe. He stopped about 20 feet from them. She looked absolutely beautiful to him. Defiant and strong.

The agent began to drag her towards the helicopter, and Sawyer was so torn, it was almost physically painful. He wanted to fight the guy, everyone on the beach, and everyone on the boat. He also wanted to run as fast as he could away from her and go back to being the Sawyer he wanted to be. To forget her. He dropped his head in defeat.

The agent and his captive were almost to the helicopter when a figure burst through the gathering crowd. Sawyer squinted against the sun, and made out Jack's form. He raced toward Kate, full speed. Desperate. Sawyer couldn't tear his eyes away from the unfolding scene and began to slowly without realizing it, make his way over to the aircraft.

Jack stopped just short of her, breathing hard. Sawyer couldn't make out the words, but cold tell Jack was talking quickly. A stab of something went through him, but he stifled it. Probably just saying goodbye, he thought.

Almost at if he was reading his mind, Jack grabbed the back of Kate's head, and crushed his lips against hers. In handcuffs, Kate couldn't do much more then take it. Jack seemed to pour everything in that kiss. Like he was afraid of never seeing her again. An excited murmur went through the crowd, and Sawyer felt sick. Her head was bent back with force, and Kate was reeling. Never had she felt such sadness. And that was saying something. So many emotions had welled up in the chest over the last hour that the dam finally broke, and she gave in to tears.

Finally Jack pulled away breathing heavily. Sawyer had already started walking up the beach in disgust.

"I will see you again…..we'll fix this Kate." He assured her.

She didn't say anything as the agent roughly pushed her into the seat of the helicopter. The door slammed, and it reminded her of a jailhouse door slamming shut on her life. She turned to take a last look at the beach, and the island she thought would be her home. As the bird took off, the caught Jack's eye, watching her leave. She searched for Sawyer, but couldn't find him. Had he seen that kiss? She wondered in panic? As the aircraft left the beach, it rounded a rocky outcropping, and there standing at the top of it, watching the helicopter was Sawyer. Kate thought he looked…..beautiful, was the only word to describe him. Shirt open and billowing, hair blowing in the wind. She never did get around to that haircut, she smiled to herself. He was watching them, and she did her best to make eye contact with him, but he was too far away. Everything was far away now. She blinked back tears, not wanted the agent to see her weakness. Resigned, she sat back against her seat, and waited for the rest of her life to end.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

6 months later, Sawyer sat in his apartment, New York City bustling below. It was one of the several properties he had recently gotten back after the world figured out that they weren't all dead. He had the TV on, a bottle of beer dangling between his fingers. It was only 1:30pm, but the time of day, in relation to the amount of drinking Sawyer did, was unimportant to him. For the last 3 hours, his eyes absolutely were glued to the TV set. Even when Ana Lucia came in, bitching and moaning something about "shity New York Winters…" Sawyer barely looked up.

"Are you going to watch this all day…..again? Or are you going to help me?"

Ana was met with a grunt, (Sawyer way of saying to screw off) the volume being turned up. On a sigh, she leaned against the wall, and began to watch.

Kate was on trial. All of America was watching her. Something about her story pulled at them. The media was eating up this story of a small town girl, forced to commit murder, and live on the run, only to be stranded on a deserted island. Who would have thought that they would be found when a Dharma employee couldn't live with himself anymore in New Zealand, and committed suicide, with a note explaining all sorts of interesting things about the island, and the many experiments going on there? A Goddamn guilty conscious! Sawyer thought at the time. The Degroots were on trial too, and America was watching that too, but the harrowing story of Kate Austin had captivated everyone. Especially Sawyer.

Things at first did not go well. Day after day, Sawyer tuned in, and watched as more and more people testified against her. Greg, a guy she hustled in New Mexico, talked about her coldness, and how she shot him for no reason. Edward Mars' partner, now an agent with the FBI, gave detailed testimony about the 3 years they spent chasing her, and how his partner had perished on the ill fated flight. The partner was the same FBI agent who arrested her on the island. He talked about how Kate had once made his partner lose control of the car after she was captured, beat him, and left him for dead. Even a high school teacher came forward to testify about how Kate had manipulated students into doing work, and scamming money from teachers through blackmail. Although most people did exactly buy this, the prosecutors were making her look like a monster. Sawyer was scared for her, so he sent a Sayid to the courtroom to keep an eye on things. Sayid owed Sawyer after the green card fiasco.

Today, her defense had started, and Sawyer was pleased when a prominent New York lawyer, well known for getting hardened criminals off scott free, began to call witnesses. Feeling good, Sawyer, tried to hold out hope for her. It wasn't until the camera panned the audience that he caught sight of a few of the other castaways. The first thing he saw was Charlie's bleached hair standing out in the crowd. Sawyer couldn't help but roll his eyes. Looked like a dork, he thought to himself. Next to that was Claire, looking pretty, and sad. Sawyer missed her, he suddenly realized. Almost groaning he sat back and thought, the island has made you soft boy! Clearing his throat (and almost pounding his chest with a fist) he sat forward, and scanned the crowd again.

There was Sayid, and Jin and Sun, Hurley was lurking near the back, and……..Jack. Sitting directly behind Kate, hand every once in a while going to her shoulder in support. Sawyer took a deep breath when he noticed the good ole doc, and closed his eyes.

Probably better for her, he tried to convince himself. Couldn't have a conman standing by your side now could you freckles. Grabbing the bottle, he tipped it back and took a long swig. Internally, and secretly, he battled the idea of hurling the bottle at the wall. Sawyer could not forget the last moments before Kate was taken off the island. Jack had no idea at the time, but the vision of Him kissing Her near the helicopter had haunted Sawyer ever since. His fingers instinctively tightened on the bottle. Ana simply looked at him with an arched eyebrow, and he tried to scowl at her. She noticed Jack on the screen, and laughed a small bitter laugh before going back to her notebook.

Ever since the rescue, Ana had been with Sawyer. There was no romance there, but she was scarred from her life as a cop in LA, and after the crash didn't want to go back into law enforcement. A week after rescue, he ran into her at a seedy bar in Brooklyn, and it was like she was an entirely different person. She knew an awful lot about the in's and out's of the law, and after a few (ok too many) drinks, they partnered up to plan a couple scams. Just enough to put a little padding on her bank account, and she was out. They pulled 3 scams since them, had made a shit load of money, and she was still there.

Once, during one of Sawyers bad days, they got drunk and played cards until 4am. They kissed then, but Ana knew he was in love with Kate. She couldn't bring herself to take that from him, so she had backed off. There was no love there anyways, they were both too volatile. They never spoke of the kiss, and their friendship blossomed. Although Sawyer would never admit it, he was glad she stuck around. Otherwise he would be alone with his demons. Shaking off the thought, he turned his attention back to the tv, leaned forward, beer forgotten, as he watched Kate's trial unfold.

She was swimming in the ocean. The water looked green, and it sparkled under the blazing sun. With one smooth butterfly kick, she dove under the water. Fairly deep in the water, she swam deeper, reaching out, when her hand could touch the white sand at the bottom. The warm salty water slid over her body, and she felt utterly at peace, floating in a dreamlike place, she knew was only, the island. Kate closed her eyes, and let her self relax.

When a sudden shadow passed above the surface, her eyes flew open in time to see a huge shape in the air above the surface. Before she had the time to react, a deafening roar invaded her serenity. She watched in horror as an extremely large object smashed into the water with such speed and force, that the impact caused the sand to kick and a whoosh of water to carry her deeper into the ocean.

Suddenly the water was black and red, and she tried desperately to kick her way to the surface. Her lungs were burning, her arms straining against the current that was pushing her downward. Her mind panicked, she couldn't breathe! This is it, she thought.

Just before blackness closed in around her, Kate looked down to see what had caused all this turmoil, and she saw the object sinking into never-ending blackness. All she could make out was the logo, for Oceanic Airlines….

Kate bolted up in bed, quickly, breathing hard. For a moment she couldn't remember where she was. Bringing a hand to her sweaty forehead, she glanced down, and the glare of orange reminded her, almost tauntingly, of _exactly_ where she was….in jail, she reminded herself, miserably.

Trying to take deep breathes; Kate threw back the cheap scratchy blanket of her bunk, and went over to the small sink in her cell. There was a plastic mirror over it, and when she looked at herself, her features were distorted, one bleeding into another. On a closer look, she saw circles under her eyes, and a faint worry line etched in her forehead. She rubbed a finger over it, and on a deep sigh, turned on the water.

After she washed her face, she sat, indianstyle, on her bunk, waiting for the day to begin. The remnants of her dream hovered in the back of her mind. She had been having the same dream since they were rescued. Peaceful, serene, and then a nightmare. She knew the obvious implications of it. The dream was due to the trauma of surviving a plane crash, but there was some eerie quality that made her uneasy. Like it was a metaphor for something. With her head resting on her fist, she forced it out of her mind. There were more important things to worry about.

She believed that today would be the last day of her trial. Things were getting scary for her. She laughed bitterly, they had been scary since the beginning. Jack, after meeting her in prison weeks after the crash, had footed the bill for the fancy lawyer. Even though she knew what expectations he had when he made the offer, she took his help without question, only half knowing why. It was a strange comfort to have someone who was in "this" with her.

Before the crash, she always had to deal with her demons alone, and now she relied on his support and friendship. Not that she liked relying on anyone. She had learned from an early age that there weren't very many people you could truly count on. In the end, she knew, they would lock her up, and Jack would inevitably be hurt. She cared about him very much, but there was a certain necessary feeling that was missing. She had only it felt once, but now that she had, there was no denying its power. That feeling was something else she was constantly pushing to the back of her mind, because as far as she knew, no one from the crash had seen or heard from Sawyer since they came back to the States.

At first she was sure that he would come for her. If not for her, at least for the letter that he had given her. But after the first few night and days in a cell, when he didn't show, she began to force herself to lose hope. It was a defense mechanism, she knew, but it was all she had. After a month, she was determined to forget him, even if meant she grew closer to Jack. Truth be told, Sawyer was hardly ever far from her mind, even if she tried to tell herself otherwise.

As if on cue, the steel door on the far side of the jailhouse opened with a clatter. Jack stepped through, dressed in an expensively cut suit. He was clean shaven, and had abandoned the buzz style of the island, for a sharp ceaser cut. He had gained a little weight since being back, and looked all together…great. But there was still a haunted look in his eyes, and Kate could tell that he was drinking heavily by weariness in his eyes and the strain in his voice.

Kate stood at his approach, and tried to smile. He gave her a warm look, and she felt guilty for not being able to return it.

"Brought your clothes..." Jack said, gesturing to the bundle in his hands.

"Thanks" Kate looked away. There was a silence.

"How did you sleep?" He asked awkwardly.

Instead of answering she gave him a wry sarcastic look, which she immediately regretted, seeing the hurt look that he tried to hide from her.

"Had that dream again..." She tried again.

"Oh yeah? Any change?"

"Yeah, I touched the ocean bottom before it happened." She answered him, not meeting his eyes. "Ran the sand through my fingers. Other then that….." she let the statement hang.

The dreams tended to vary. Once, before she could get to the bottom, the crash had almost crushed her. Another time, she swore she could see faces in the windows of the plane instead of the Oceanic symbol. They often varied in what happened, but the end result was still the same; waking in a sweat, breathing heavily, and heart hammering in her chest.

Jack glanced at his watch, and took a deep steadying breath. "It's just about time to go." handing her the clothes through the bars, "you ready?"

"Yeah, I just need a minute."

Jack wanted to stay with her, but he could tell by the look in her eyes, that she wanted him to go. He started to walk away, but suddenly turned back, and walked over to the cell. He held onto the bars, knuckles white and met Kate's questioning eyes.

"Kate….." He started, hesitant.

She looked at him expectantly. A pause. He cleared his throat before answering, as if he was hiding something. "Good luck today." He said instead.

In response, she smiled at him. It was a reassuring smile, but Kate was terrified and trying not to show it. She touched his hands through the bars. Speaking to him without words.

"See you out there." She said.

"Yes you will." He answered meaningfully, and walked out without a second glance.

She looked at the clothes he brought her, and sighed. The nervousness was beginning to wear on her, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more then for it to be over. That way, when she was sitting in prison, she could no longer hurt the men who cared about her.

Trying not to think of the day ahead of her, Kate got dressed in a simple grey busines suit, and waited, trying to mentally prepare for the disappointment and terror she knew was about to come. She sighed, and glanced at the white light coming through the frosted window of the jailhouse, wishing more then anything, she could just breathe the fresh air once more, knowing she never would.

Kate could never predict the turn of events about to take place….


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I demand a mistrial!"

Kate forced herself to slow her breathing. Was this really happening? There was an excited buzz going through the courtroom audience. It was a packed house, the TV cameras lights made the golden wood in the courthouse glow even more. All of American was enthralled with Kate's story.

She pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers, and told herself not to get hopeful. She knew what being hopeful could do. But, casting a nervous glance at Jack, sitting behind her, she tried to quell the flutter in her stomach.

Her father…well, the man who she thought all her life to be her biological father was fidgeting with his uniform, eyes darting nervously around the room. The testimony of Sam Austen was a complete surprise to her. Kate hadn't seen him since she left his recruiting office before she left for Australia, deciding to cut that part of her heart away. When her lawyer had informed her this morning that he had received a late night phone call from him, saying he had something major to add to her case, Kate was more then surprised, she was shocked. What could he have to add?

Sitting behind the large oak defendant table, Kate had watched Sam take the stand with a slowness she had never seen in him before; he looked 10 years older then the last time she had seen him. He was frail, and hunched. His hair was mostly gone, and the creases in his eyes made him look angry rather than warm as she once imagined they would.

Although he wasn't her real father, Kate had loved him like one. He taught her how to track, and camp, ride a bike, and climb trees, and so many other things, it made her heart hurt. Seeing him now, she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood to keep her emotions in check.

During his testimony, she noticed that he would not look her in the eye. Hope for reconciliation died in her as she thought about the last conversation they had. He told her that from a young age, he knew she had murder in her heart. He had admitted he was too much of a coward to do something about losing the love of his life. Anger surged through her, but Kate suppressed it. She couldn't blame him for everything; she had made her own decisions.

She had listened with intensity, when he talked about her childhood. About the situations that came from being in love with her volatile mother. About Kate's innocence, and goodness as a child. How she had volunteered at the animal shelter in town most of her young life. But, as her lawyer pressed on, Sam's testimony took an unexpected turn.

"So you hated her?" her lawyer asked, they were talking about her mother

"No, no I loved her very much. Kate too, it's just……Wayne was hurting them. I saw it with my own eyes. And……" there was a pause, and the whole courtroom seemed to be holding their breath.

"And?" the attorney prodded

"I couldn't take it anymore."

A murmur shot through the room, but when Sam began to speak again, you could have heard a pin drop.

"You couldn't take it anymore? Could you please elaborate on that for the courtroom?"

"Well…." Sam seemed to be thinking of something. Suddenly, he looked directly into Kate's eyes. There was intent there, as if he was trying to say something to her. She felt them well up, and knew what was coming.

"…Kate told me about the insurance policy that she had taken out on the house…"

"Yes…."

"The night of the explosion, I watched Kate sit on the front porch; waiting for that guy…..I had an idea…."

She clenched her hands into fists. This was not happening.

"After she left, I went in the house, turned on the gas…..and…….went outside, and made a phone call. I guess the spark from the phone set the house up"

"NO!" Kate was out of her chair before anyone could grab her. She darted to the front of the courtroom. She could hear Jacks voice yelling after her, but she didn't care. Just before she made it to the witness stand, she was grabbed around the waist by the guard and ended up hauled off her feet. Before she hit the ground however, her hands caught the end of the witness stand. She held on for dear life, and looked up at the man who just saved her life. Sam was just sating at her, his face looked faintly amused.

"I won't let you do this." She whispered pleadingly.

"I shouldn't have let you do that." Sam looked down at his hands. He pulled off his armed forced ring, and forced it into her hand. "Goodbye Kate."

The same day, on the other side of the city, Sawyer practically tore the door off the hinges when he came in. The drop he had made took longer then expected. He had tried to squeeze it in during a recess of Kate's trial, but the bastard was late, and wanted to chat. Trying to keep relations good in his new career field, Sawyer had obliged the man, and after an hour of chatting about business and boobs, was able to get out of there.

Ana wasn't home, thank God. Sawyer didn't want to see another pointed look about his obsession with watching every second of her trial. He tossed his coat on the floor, and looked wildly for the remote. Giving up, he switched the set on. His back was turned to the TV when the sounds came through, before the picture….a mans voice reached his ears.

"I had an idea……"

Puzzled, Sawyer turned around to see who was speaking. A man in an army uniform was on the stand. He had never seen him before.

"I went in the house, turned on the gas…..and…….went outside, and made a phone call. I guess the spark from the phone set the house up…"

Sawyer darted to the TV, and dropped to his knees in front of it, almost gripping its sides. The buzz in his ears caused all other noises to fade. All he saw was Kate jumping out of her chair. He almost yelled at her through the screen. Horrified, he watched her dart desperately, even in designer pumps, across the court room. When the guard grabbed her roughly, he almost threw the TV in rage.

He tried to steady himself. The courtroom was in an uproar. Kate was clinging to the witness stand, speaking to the army man. Two guards were trying to subdue her. In the background, he could see Jack trying to get through the crowd, and Sayid standing off the side, a look of concern on his face.

The court TV commentator was saying something about a "serious turn of events", but Sawyer didn't trust himself to believe it. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Kate. If the situation wasn't so serious, he may be smiled proudly at the hard time the guards were having with her. Mentally he tried to tell her to calm her ass down before she got into even more trouble. Without warning, court TV went to a commercial.

Standing, Sawyer continued to start at the TV. Was this for real? Would they buy it? With shaking hands, he took a cigarette out of his pack, and lit it. Turning away from the TV, he laughed a small bitter laugh. With nicotine taking the adrenaline edge off his body, he began to laugh a little harder, and a little harder, until it was a full blown laugh, rich, but at the same time bitter. The cigarette was long forgotten.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"...And do you ever miss the island?"

"Well...that's a complicated question. I spent 90 of my time there, being scared out of my wits. I just couldn't understand why no one had come for us." There came a pause for effect. "The other 10 was...beautiful sunrises, the good side of human nature, the thrill of exploring. A part of me wanted to be there, because it meant that I had stopped running."

"From the authorities?"

Kate laughed softly. It was all a part in a an act she had been living since her trial. Plastering what she called, her _fake_ smile, she answered the reporters questions with a neutral: "The crash was so traumatic, the idea of escape was the very last thing on my mind."

"My dear, you have come a long way, and it was a pleasure being able to sit down with you today, and hear this amazing story." The sharp looking woman held out her hand. Kate smiled again, and shook it gently. All an act she reminded herself silently. "Back to you Rick."

Thanking the reporter, Kate walked off the set of the interview. On her way out, many of the people standing around gave her warm smiles, as if they knew her in a former life or something. She returned them out of habit, and quickly made her way out of the studio.

Jack was waiting in the hallway for her, holding her coat. Slipping it around her shoulders, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek, and draped his arm around her shoulders. With a warm smile, Kate settled into his arm, and gave his left hand a squeeze.

"Well?" she asked playfully.

"You were...ok." he said lamely.

Faking resentment, she pulled back with a gasp. He waited a beat, deliberately looking away from her. When she heaved a fake sigh. He gave in.

"Ok, ok, you were great...wonderful...beautiful...charming..." Jack squeezed her closer to him, and she laughed.

"Don't even try flattery."

"Well, i was hoping that i could persuade you to go to dinner tonight. To celebrate."  
"And, what would we be celebrating?"

"Well...tonight is..." Jack seemed to be grasping for something. Kate narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Glancing a nervous look at her, he quickly finished "...tonight you have been free for...5 months...4 days...and 3...give or take 15 minutes...hours." he finished with a flourish.

Kate automatically tried to quell the quick rise of emotion that first entered her mind. She bit her lip, and blinked a few times, trying to blink away the image of Sam Austen's face. Jack, oblivious to her pain, raised his eyebrows, looking for an answer. She laughed; it was the alternative to what else might come out. "Yeah..." She said softly. "That sounds great."

"Terrific...i already made the reservations." and he made a wiping motion on his forehead.

Kate giggled politely, as he lead her to his car. He opened the door for her, and she slid in silently. As he rounded the other side, Kate looked hard out her side window. Absently, she fingered an object in her pocket. Her new reminder of a life destroyed. She carried Sam Austen's ring everywhere with her. She closed her eyes as Jack started the car. As he drove out of the parking lot, Jack took her hand into hers. She gave him a quick, tight smile, and looked out the window.

She was doing it again! She yelled at herself. She was dragging Jack into her life. It was a cycle. Before the crash she hadn't realized why she allowed herself to cling to those who cared about her until it ruined them. But, it was because she was scared. And alone. She couldn't help it. Kate was so used to the act of trying to survive, that now it was second nature. Even though she thought that time would erase this from her psyche, she found it a very difficult feat.

She sighed. What was she going to do? She cared very much about Jack. The things he had done for her when they first came back to the states, when no one seemed to care, were...proof...of what kind of man he was. He found her an apartment, and hooked her up with a publicist, after her trial. If it weren't for that, Kate would have never been able to make it on her own. She would have never got those interviews that had paid her more legally then she had ever made legally or otherwise in her life. She would have never gotten the book deal two days ago. Jack was one of the only people in the world who made Kate remember what it was like to have a friend like Tom. She would have given Jack her life if he ever needed it.

Not that Jack ever would, she mused. Kate thought, the fact that Jack probably would never need her to help him, the way he helped her, was probably the fundamental problem with the direction her relationship with him was headed. Kate would always need bailing out. Book deal or no book deal, somehow, Kate was sure, she would end up in trouble again. If Jack was able to break himself away from her, however, he might just be alright, she thought bitterly. If not. She involuntarily shuttered. No, she wouldn't think about that.

They sat in a comfortable silence. Jack fiddled with the radio a bit, while Kate watched the New York evening pass by.

Jack had chosen a sushi restaurant. When he pulled up to valet, Kate thought the outside looked too sleek and cold. There were huge windows which showed a blindly white interior, black tabletops, and scary exotic flowers. It looked to expensive to Kate.

She had to admit, that since her trial, she had enough new cultural experiences. The publicity had called for her to attend several events, and business meetings. Executives had always made her feel uncomfortable. But there was a natural actress inside Kate. Her publicist would say that was the reason that the public had taken such a liking to her. That, and a "killer ass with a face to match!".

As weird as that quote sounded to her, no one had ever talked about her that way. The feeling she got was unfamiliar but not unpleasant. She always thought of her self as a tomboy growing up. Then, when she grew up, she was too busy running from the feds to think about her looks. Now, she had designer clothes, and shoes. She had a stylist for heaven sake. Each day she played the role of a person who she never thought she would be. Kate enjoyed this, but there was a huge hole in her heart, that, with every blessing, caused the image of her father, behind bars for a crime he didn't commit.

Jack spoke with the hostess and they were seated immediately. Kate caught a few curious glances, and it made Jack's head tip upward proudly. Not only was he being seen with the current American sweetheart. But he was with the most beautiful woman in the room. She was wearing a simple black dress, knee length, with a low neckline. The same one from her interview. But Kate just had the ability to turn on out from casual to elegant just by changing settings. It was Jacks favorite characteristic about her. Her ethereal beauty. Natural, and clean. Her hair was upswept loosely so that tendrils brushed her shoulders. His hands itched to touch it.

Kate noticed the look on his face, and without being able to control it, the actress came out. She smiled warmly.

"Nice place."

"Do you like sushi?" Jack asked leaning in to take her hand again.

She glanced down at their joined hands. "Of course." She lied.

He grinned at her, and picked up the menu. She did the same, but couldn't help rolling her eyes as she raised it to her face. In the end, Jack ordered for both of them. He ate hungrily, as Kate picked at her plate. Between bites, they talked about her book. She really got into the conversation. The prospect that Kate Austen, Fugitive and honestly (she winced inwardly) a murderer was going to be a published author, was unbelievable her. She was going to write it as honest as possible. She told Jack that she thought about just glossing over most of the actual crime in her book. He knew the truth about what she did, and although his conscience nagged at him a little, his feelings for Kate quieted it. She was going to concentrate on what happened on the island.

"I would be glad to consult you know." Jack said.

"Defiantly going to need that. Know anything about proofreading? I am horrible at grammar. I don't know how i am going to do this Jack!" She said with amusement.

"Your going to do it. The money alone will set you up for a very long time."

"Don't i know it." Kate said, rolling her eyes.

After dinner, over drinks Kate noticed that their waiter kept glancing at her. The young man was recognizing her, she realized, and tried to keep her head down. He left their check, and hurried away. Kate tried not to think about him, or any of the other looks she had received that night. It was a part of her life now, and was better then the alternative. It was a punishment she would gladly endure after her fathers sacrifice.

Jack was looking at her like that again. Hungrily. She took a deep breathe, and leaned toward him.

"Jack, i want to thank you again for everything you've done for me."

"I...I care about so much"

"Me too." She said.

Jack reached for her hand, and took it into his. He rubbed slow circles over her knuckles. She watched him. Raising her eyes to his, she smiled. Jack felt encouraged so he let his hand roam up her wrist and forearm to her elbows. She closed her eyes, and tried to block out the uneasy feeling she had. It was going to be ok, she told herself. Jack was a good man, the person she should be with. She took a steadying breathe, and opened her eyes. Jack had a cocky smile on his face, as he leaned in a gave her a short soft kiss on her lips. She returned it slowly, keeping his hand tight in hers. She wanted this, Kate tried to tell herself. Jack was the one. Jack was the one, she repeated to herself like a mantra. He leaned back slowly, and signaled the waiter for to pick up the check and rose to leave, never letting go of Kate's hand. They got their coats, and a nervous chill went down Kate's spine as they stepped outside.

Suddenly there were flashes and noise coming from the side of the restaurant. A group of 7 or 8 reporters came at the pair, hurling questions like...

"Who's your date Kate?"

"What's the title of your new book?"

Jack got the valet's attention as Kate tried to fix on a polite smile. She turned to face the cameras, letting them take their pictures, but didn't answer questions. She wasn't in the mood tonight. After a moment the valet came, and they were seated in the car, the press still barking at the closed door. Kate put on her seatbelt, and tipped her head against the headrest. Jack turned out of the driveway.

After a moment, she sat up. "i don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"Yeah...that was...crazy."

"I think it was the waiter. I had a weird feeling about him. Probably tipped them off."

"Probably." Jack agreed. He stole a look at her, and decided that now was as good of a time as any. She knew he was going to do it before he did though, and braced herself as his hand rested on her thigh. Checking to see her reaction, Jack slid his hand slightly higher. Nervously, he said "Kate...I said that i cared about you."

"Yes, you did" she replied, hoping it sounded natural. Who knew Jack would come on so quickly. During the first few days on the island, before she had noticed...someone else, Kate had openly flirted with the doctor. He always seemed uninterested though. It wasn't until the day they were rescued that he really let his feelings be known.

"I want..." he began. "I want to take you home. I want to take care of you."

"What makes you think i need you to take care of me Jack?" she replied flirtatiously.

He laughed at this. Kate wasn't sure why his laugh offended her. She forced herself to hide it. After all this was self preservation.

"Kate...this is _you_ we're talking about right?"

She only looked at him.

"Kate honey, your in the big city now. Not the same as small town Iowa is it?"

"I can handle myself Jack" She was starting to get angry.

"Kate...you _need_ someone to look out for you" His hand was moving up her thigh. She was starting to get nervous.

"Take me to my apartment Jack"

"Oh, come on Kate. Look, lets just forget it said that. okay?"

She thought about it for a minute. "No, jack, just take me home."

He sighed deeply. "Talk about a tease" He said under his breathe.

"What!"

"Well, you were all over me at the restaurant Kate."

She made a noise of exasperation, as she turned to study his profile. "Your drunk Jack. Take me home."

He swung his car quickly on to her street, and stopped abruptly in front of her apartment building. She looked at him sadly. It was better off this way, she thought. Better it end now, then when its too late and he is too deep into her world.

"Jack, I..."

"Just get out Kate." He wouldn't even look at her. She nodded sadly, gripping the door handle.

"Talk to you later?" she asked, not sure why she was suddenly feeling all alone.

Without a word, or time enough for her to close the door, he accelerated, the door closing on its own. She watched his taillights disappear, and hung her head. She stood there moment without moving, and thought about how she would handle Jack in the morning.

"Rotten date Freckles?"

The voice from the darkness cause her to yelp, and jump out of her trance. But she didn't turn around. She just let the low, husky, southern voice seep into her brain.

"I've had better" She replied, hoping her voice was steady. Gathering her courage, she turned around. Sawyer was standing no more then 10 feet away, leaning against her apartment building. He wore dark jeans, and baggy sweater. His hair was a bit shorter, but he still wore the stubble that he did on the island. Kate had never pictured his face any differently.

He didn't move, keeping his thumbs hooked in his pockets. "Anyone I know?" he asked with a grin she remembered all too well.

She didn't say anything at first. Afraid her voice might give her feelings away. Truth was, she was incredibly happy to see him. She didn't want him to know this of course, but...she felt her knees tremble slightly.

Kate cast a final look in the direction that Jack had just left.

Finally, she said: "It was no one."


	5. Chapter 5

First off, I would just love to thank everyone for your kind reviews! I am just so excited about this fic. It totally motivates me, when I hear such nice things. Here's the beginning of chapter 5, although its quite long already. Sorry it took so long for me to post. We had house issues this weekend!

Thanks again to everyone. Please feel free to review, good bad or otherwise.

Chapter 5

Kate kept her eyes glued to Jack's fading tail lights as long as utterly possible. She knew Sawyer was watching her closely from his position; leaning a hip against the railing of the small porch leading up to her apartment building. She felt his gaze, heard the flick of a lighter, and the deep, satisfied breath that came from the nicotine hitting his lungs.

Turning, she took a deep breathe, and started up the walkway, subconsciously holding her breath. He looked different then she remembered. It could have been the shadows of the streetlamps, but he seemed to look even more dangerous then she remembered. Sizing him up, her stomach gave an appreciative flutter at his cleaned up appearance, but she tried to keep her eyes averted so that he wouldn't notice.

"S'ok freckles, you can check out the goods if you want to" He laughed, blowing a stream of smoke into the air, and rising from his leaning position. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement. He always could read her, she thought, more then anyone else she had met since Tom. A little too well for her comfort. Comically, he turned in a circle, with his hands out to the sides.

She rolled her eyes, and flashed a quick and brilliant smile, unable to hide her happiness at seeing him. "Nothing I haven't seen before" She retorted smartly, and stood just in front of him. Liking her comeback, Sawyer gave her a lopsided grin. She smiled back, and was looking at him expectantly, eyebrows raised in question.

After a drawn out moment, he seemed to decide something, and flicked away his cigarette with force. "Oh hell…." He muttered before he pulled her, almost roughly, into a warm embrace.

She was surprised, because she had expected him to try and kiss her. It would have been predictable, but not disappointing. This quick, unusual display of affection made Kate smile into his shoulder. Did she drink too much at dinner? She almost giggled.

They stood there for a moment, unmoving. Sawyer could hear the buzz of Manhattan traffic in the distance, and the scent of her hair was invading his nostrils. Goddamn lemons! He thought. Well he damn well didn't like it, he lied to himself.

This was not how this little visit was supposed to go. Things had gone wrong at the job tonight, and he and Ana had gotten become separated. He needed to contact her, but….with the nasty gash in his side (Kate currently had her arm directly across it he noticed suddenly), and his apartment in Brooklyn probably being ransacked by thugs, Sawyer had needed somewhere to hide for a few hours.

Kate was the first person who came to mind. The funny thing was, she was always on his mind, it was just rare him to actually be able to justify thinking about her as much as he did. It was the perfect excuse.

He had planned on sweet talking his way into her apartment, then worry about where Ana was, and what he was going to do. He tried to tell himself that he would use her. Use her like a mark, and leave. But when he saw her, standing on the curb, shoulders slouched in sadness, wounded by whoever had just sped off, and Sawyers attempt to con Kate had disappeared just as quickly as the Mercedes. Turned out, he thought with a bitter grin, Sawyer had actually conned himself.

He shouldn't have come here. But weather he admitted it to himself or not, he had passed by this apartment building everyday since he saw her 3 weeks ago, hauling a box out of the back of a taxi that was obviously too heavy for her. On his way to meet Ana and a partner that they occasionally used, he had been walking along when it seemed like the world had stopped. It was a nice day, and Sawyer had not started to drink early, like he did most other days. Slightly late, he cut down that particular block quickly, trying to make up time. Seeing her for the first time in person, since he watched the helicopter, he had quickly stepped behind some hedges, unable to control himself. Emotions rose in his throat quickly, just like the day she got her mistrial. And Sawyer had found himself mesmerized by the sight of her, in the real world, off the island.

On that day, three weeks ago, she had been wearing snug, worn jeans and a blue oversized sweater in the late September chill. Her hair was piled messily atop her head, and fastened with a pencil, a few curls slipping out, so that she constantly was pushing them out of her eyes. She struggled with the box for a few minutes, and he couldn't tear his eyes away her. For a moment, he entertained the thought of going over, and hauling the box out of the taxi, delighting at the image of the shocked face she was bound to make: But then quickly dispelled the idea as being a stupid attempt by a man gone soft, to barge back into her life when she seemed to be doing so well.

Then, just as quickly as she was there, she was gone, disappeared into the building. Since that day, he had been walking up the same street. He walked that street, every morning, and some evenings. At night, he would stand outside, wanting to torture himself, if she were to come home with a man. He had felt witless, like a stalker, but was unable to stop himself. Now, here he was, possibly putting her in danger, but not knowing where else to go. Deep down, Sawyer had yet to accept the fact that, Kate was _home _to him.

Drawing the hug out, he almost touched a hand to her hair, but withdrew, thinking it was too much too fast. As much as he wanted to touch her, Sawyer knew that he had to keep a certain emotional distance. It was bad enough that he had risked her life, along with Ana's and all the money they had scammed, coming here; to get even more emotional about her might be dangerous for them both.

Puling away, he said "Think we can go inside? Or is Romeo coming back for a nightcap?"

When she looked at her feet with a quick stab of anger, he immediately wished he knew how to keep his mouth shut. He felt sorry for the comment, but didn't apologize. As irrational as it was, the idea of her on a date made him glad it had gone sour for her. As long as the bastard hadn't put his hands on her (he gave her a quick, worried looking over) then he was ok if the date wasn't all wine and roses.

"Yeah, come in. We should talk." Kate responded shortly, and started toward the door.

At their approach, the old doorman sitting just inside the door got up to hold it open for them.

"Hey Gus." Kate said in greeting, as they walked to the elevator. Sawyer walked slightly behind her, pissed off that _his_ apartment building didn't have a doorman. Or an elevator. Or fancy tile work, or murals on the walls.

"Nice crib Sweet cheeks. Those daytime talk shows must be mighty rewarding."

"Yeah well…" She started as the doors on the elevator closed, and she punched the 17th floor "I don't deserve it." She finished almost as an afterthought.

"Hell freckles, I think what you've been through in the last 5 years, you'd deserve to sleep in the Taj Mahal" He hoped that didn't sound too soft.

"Sawyer, my father took a murder wrap for me. You think I actually believe that I deserve all this?" She was gesturing with anger and bitterness at the lavish appointments throughout the hallway to her apartment. "The only reason I'm here is because I didn't want him to sacrifice for no reason. That, and it was the only way I could get the public to believe his story. The media hounds me as if they know the truth!"

He paused in front of her door, noting absently that her apartment number was #423. "Yeah, I've been seeing ya on tv….all over the tv actually."

"You did?"

"Kind of hard not to." He looked at her intently as she struggled with the key to her door. Unable to help himself, he stepped directly into her personal space. Kate tried to keep her hands steady as she struggled with the lock. She could feel his breath on her neck, and felt the heat rising to her cheeks. Taking notice, he grabbed at her struggling fingers. She flinched and he was delighted.

"Here." He said very quietly, never taking his eyes off hers. The same cocky smile he had on the island played at his lips. He easily opened her door, swinging it inward, but keeping his arm a position where she would have to duck under it. She did, and it was all he could do to stifle a groan.

Tbc…..


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kate was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming. The familiar scent of the ocean; the blue green rush as she sinks into the water. It was so serene, yet disturbing; Kate debated weather to even wake herself. She knew what was coming. But the weightless feeling she had as she effortlessly swam into the ocean felt like freedom to her. One thing that hadn't changed in the months since her trial was her was Kate's addiction to freedom. When she was awake, she often felt inexplicably trapped. Sometimes when she was with Jack, his eyes set off an alarm in her head that only used to ring when she was on the run.

She again swam deep into the ocean. Without feeling the slightest need for a breath, she ran her hand thru the soft sand of the ocean floor. A duel feeling of peace and dread settled over her as she flipped over, and looked at the surface far above her. The sun was high, and the sky was an impossible blue, she closed her eyes, and drifted with the invisible current.

Her eyes flew open when suddenly; she heard a whisper in the water. It was almost in her ear. It was so close that she couldn't make out the exact words. She spun around frantically looking for a source. All the blue green was gone. Replaced by the black nighttime ocean. Automatically starting an ascent to the face, she got almost half way there when she looked above her. She stopped. Floating just above the surface of the water was a shadow. It was black against the moonlit sky. She stared up at it as the shape shifted into the outline of a large man. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew he was staring directly at her! Alarm shot through her, and she changed her direction and plunged back into the blackness. Daring a look back at the surface, she saw that the man was still there; she knew he was still staring at her.

She tried to focus, to wake herself. She shook her head, ordering herself to wake up. The endless black of the ocean was closing in on her...she felt herself begin to lose control. 1...2...3...4...she opened her eyes. Instead of blackness there was a face, not two inches from her own. Kate choked on her own scream as she shot up in her own bed.

The early morning light of the city was beginning to creep into Kate's room. The noise never really stopped, but Kate was used to it. What she wasn't used to was the two faint and completely different sets of snoring coming from the other room.

Sighing, she resigned herself to another early morning. After the trial, Kate tried to abandon her early rising habit, but when "the dream" came, she always woke just as the sun was coming up.

Making her way to the bathroom, Kate paused at the door listening.

"...Swiss cheese...blue cheese..." it was a horse whisper, and Kate poked her head out to see where it was coming from.

"...sharp cheddar..." unable to help her self, she followed the whisper to the living room, and came upon her two unexpected guests. Ana Lucia was stretched out on the couch, one of Kate's back up comforters covering everything but some of the dark hair that spilled onto the arm. Sawyer was sprawled out uncomfortably on a small love seat, his long jean clad legs hanging over the arm by at least a foot. He had his jacket backward and lying across his chest with his arms folded underneath. Kate stood watching him sleep, totally amused, but also so aware that only a man like Sawyer could do something so embarrassing, and look amazing doing it. She smiled, the remnants of her nightmare quickly fading, and pulled a soft throw off the sofa. Maybe she leaned close when she draped it across him. She fought the urge to brush his hair back, and went back to the bedroom to get ready to face the day. She had a feeling with Sawyer suddenly in her life; any moment she had to prepare would probably be to her benefit.

A few hours later, Kate had showered, and dressed in one of her many stylish outfits. She made coffee, and ate breakfast. She wrote notes for interviews. She debated calling Jack for a while, in the end deciding she had enough drama at the moment, and decided instead to scrub her stove to work off tension. When she was finished, Ana and Sawyer still weren't up. Kate decided to go for her mail downstairs, and would wake them when she got back. Having enough of waiting, she decided that she wanted answers and wanted them now.

Sawyer was vaguely aware that someone was kicking him in the shin. But he was sleeping and having a good dream for once, and was reluctant to emerge from it. Being used to his morning tactics, Ana kicked his shin more forcefully causing Sawyer to sit up suddenly.

"What the hell Ana?"

"Get up Romeo….Juliet is NOT in the building."

If it weren't for the immediate alarms going off in his head, Sawyer thought he would have had a great comeback. But the only thing he had understood was that Kate was now in the apartment.

"Where did she go?"

"How am I supposed to know Sawyer, I was sleeping right here, I woke up, went to the girls room, and she was gone."

He stood up and looked around the apartment as if he thought she would appear suddenly. Ana was looking at him expectantly. "Well?"

"Well what? Kate's a big girl."

"Has your pea brain forgotten what happened last night?"

Slowly, the events started to return to him. The job, the bust, the knife, Kate standing on the curb looking beautifully sad. "Oh shit."

Ana rolled her eyes, and was looking at him like he was an alien life form. He felt fear, burning in the pit of his stomach. What if they came during the night and took her? How could he contact them? He would kill them that he knew for sure. But before he did that, he had to know she was safe. He picked his jacket up off the floor, and felt the pockets for the small pistol he always carried. The weight of it was there, and was always a comfort to Sawyer.

He put the jacket on, and looked at Ana. who was staring at him, unmoving.

"What!"

"Oh nothing, it's just, I've never really seen you actually care about someone else before, it's kind of refreshing."

"Yeah, well….whenever your done being Dr. Phil, maybe you can help me here."

"Ok….I'll call the Sayid, see what I can find out. Maybe she just stepped out….go look for her."

"Don't all Sayid; we don't need to involve him in this just yet. Wait here."

Without another word, Sawyer walked out of the apartment. He quickly made his way down to the elevator. Impatiently pushing the down button, Sawyer paced the hallway waiting. After what seemed like an eternity. He waited for the doors to open, giving it a punch for good measure. When they did, the breath he wasn't aware that he had been holding left him, as Kate was standing in the back of the elevator, a stack of mail under her arm, looking fresh and safe, and so wonderful to Sawyer that he surprised her with a crushing hug.

"Uh…." Was all she was able to say against the strong arms encircling her.

"Damn woman…." He muttered, and when he released her he stood back taking in her appearance. She seemed to be unhurt, and safe. He was so relieved that he laughed.

Kate was shocked by his behavior, so she stepped around him, and walked off the elevator with eyebrows raised and a smirk on her lips.

"You gonna be ok?" she asked when he didn't follow. He looked back at her, an unreadable expression etched in his eyebrows.

"Yeah…." He replied warily "….I am now."

When they entered the apartment Ana was in the kitchen with that looked like the makings of pancakes. Cooking was one of the few ways Ana knew to keep herself calm and focused. There was something methodical about it that was absolutely necessary to keep order in her life. When Sawyer had left, she dreaded his return without Kate. That would mean more risk, more danger, and more death. Not that she minded the risk and danger; it was the death that could break you from the inside. She knew it first hand.

She quickly masked her care about Kate's welfare with sarcasm. It was a usual tactic for her, and Sawyer recognized instantly. Instead of being annoyed he was slightly touched.

"Princess is ok I see?"

"Yes Ana, and thanks for your concern…" Kate said dryly "I see you have carried your charm from the island back into the real world smoothly." She went back to opening her mail.

Ana's glanced at Sawyer with an amused eyebrow raised, and then went back to stirring. He just sat back and took in the view of Kate opening mail casually seated on a stool at the breakfast counter, Ana stirring a bowl in the kitchen. Both were barefoot he noticed, and he thought it had been a while since he had seen something so pretty. He thought of his mother, and sadness washed over him. Then he began to remember the island, after he was shot. The way Kate had taken care of him, and he smiled inwardly. He lit a cigarette, ignoring the look of annoyance Kate flashed, and sat there in comfortable silence, the events of last night easily forgotten with the two beautiful women around him.

He was about to make a rude comment about the mess Ana was making, but he noticed an odd look on Kate's face. She was clutching a worn piece of paper in her hand, eyes scanning it worriedly. She tried to hide the tremble in her finger, but Sawyer caught her. She laughed uncomfortably.

"Something wrong freckles?"

"It's nothing." She answered too quickly. He would be able to see through the lie she told herself.

Seeing the secretive look on her face, he ignored the lie, and walked around the table. She tried to stuff the paper into her pocket, but he caught her hand. She met his eyes, and immeadiatly they darted to the ground. He forcefully brought her hand up, and took the paper from her. She resisted. He tore it from her fingers. Ana, noticing the commotion had stopped her stirring and was looking at them with interest.

He took Kate by the arm, feeling his temper rise, and guided her toward the bedroom, closing the door.

She immediately rounded on him "Do you remember what I told you about being manhandled Sawyer?"

"When you stop with your secrets, I'll stop manhandling you, how's that sweetheart?"

They stood about four feet apart, tension vibrating between them. For a moment no one spoke, and the silent argument and accusations floated between them. It had been this way between them from the beginning, unclassified tension. Sometimes it was sexual; that's was Sawyers favorite. Other times, it was tension that was solely due to the secrets they both kept. On the island, they would use the tension to relieve boredom; chasing each other for the metal case, playful banter, unimportant arguments. But in the real world, where things were mostly exactly what they seemed, it radiated from them like waves from the sun threatening to snap when one said too much.

He slowly unfolded the paper, and Kate turned away unable to watch him read it. It was yellowish in color, wrinkled, with large bold black print stacked in a very precise hand all over it. The first words that jumped out at him were Blood, and bitch. He felt sick, as he looked at Kate's turned back. What the hell was this! And Sawyer thought that HE had problems. He read it over. It was a threat. That was clear.

"My dear Kate,

You don't know me, but I know you. You can't smell me, but I can smell your blood. They day of the Wolf will come upon you without warning, and there will be no one to hear you scream. You sill die bitch for what you did. You will be punished for your sins. I will take great pleasure when I tear you apart. Look forward to my arrival my sweet. Until then, cherish the blood that courses through your veins. One day it will be stilled.

Yours

The wolf"

TBC………


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The air in the room was thickening, all the noise from the street below hushed almost as if it knew a storm was about to bust open in the apartment above.

Sawyer felt the familiar beginnings of rage shoot through his veins. He scanned the letter again. Random black words, in sqaure elementary handwriting shot off the paper at him: smell, blood, scream, **bitch. **His mouth a grim line, eyebrows drawn tightly together in anger, he clutched his fist at his side. Kate was standing less then five feet from him, but for Sawyer, fury and violence had a way of seeping into his pores, like a drug making its way through a blood stream. It was so potent, it could pull every warm caring feeling straight from his gut. At that moment, Kate could have ben a thousnd miles away.

She was furious with herself for being so careless. For over a month, she had secretly concealed letters from Jack. Stowing her own fear in the closet of her mind, a trick that had shapened with years on the run.

Today, she had been utterly foolish. Maybe it was the unexplainable sense of security that Sawyer's presence had always given her, that caused her to carry the letter in her hand through the kitchen that morning. Even on the island, she always felt safe with him, in spite of her outward costume of general distrust. Or maybe subconsciencly she had wanted him to see it. Foolish wasn't right, maybe selfish was more accurate.

It didn't matter now, she thought as she watched the emotions roll though him from across the room. He knew, and there was no keeping it a secret any longer. She only wished he would say something rather then stand there looking at the threat, and then at her, and then back at the threat.

"You weren't exactly supposed to see that." she said flatly, wanting to break the silence.

Something about those words knocked his brain loose. It was the same line he used on the women during his conning days: just after the cash "mysteriously" dumped from the briefcase. Had he ever told her about that? He wasn't sure, but her words, and the look she was trying to hide of fear on her face, was enough snap him right back into the moment.

"Where the hell did this come from Kate?" he asked quietly, through gritted teeth.

He had called her Kate.

"The mail."

"This the first?"

She didn't answer.

"Thats what I thought."

He read it over once again, hoping he was imagining the words. She felt hot tears burn her throat. "Sawyer..." she started almost pleadingly, but was cut off by the fist he smashed into the wall next to him. She jumped, her hand instinctivly covering a yelp. Kate hated herself for it. Hated herself for being so weak, so scared. She covered her eyes with her hand.

This was not happening. She was supposed to be strong! She lived on the run from the FBI for

God sake. She had slept in allies, and underpasses. Why were these letters getting to her? She wouldnt admit it, but it was because she got used to not being so alone on the islan. Even on that dreadful island, she started to remember what is was like, not only interact with other people, but to actually have friends...and love. That thought alone scared her just as much as the dark letters, and she quickly shoved that word away, knowing she couldn't handling thinking about that at a time like this.

Sawyer had both hands braced on the wall, head bent in thought. His hair was covering his face so she couldn't read him. She slowly sank to the edge of the bed.

"This isn't your problem Sawyer...its mine. You have enough to worry about."

He turned, and in three long strides was in front of her hauling her up by the elbows. "How can you even say something like that!" he said fiercely.

His eyes were dark blue, burning into her green ones. She staggered at his intensity and blinked back tears. "You don't...have to...do anything..." The threatening tears spilled over, and Sawyer was startled when the rage began to very slowly drain from his body.

"Shhh..." he said softly, duking his head to meet her eyes, and placing a finger to her trembling lips. His eyes drifted there. She nervously bit her lower lip; his face was only inches away. She wanted the comfort of his kiss so badly, that she almost leaned in herself. But hidden carefully in his gaze was a dark anger...a capability for violence that knotted Kate's stomach with trepadation.

Not many people were able see that part of Sawyer, but she always could.

Sensing her retreat, he pulled her into an embrace, and it was almost as good. So many times since the rescue she had wanted, no neede, his comfort, that at the worst of times, the want could physically hurt her. At _that_ time, she wrote it off as melodramatic nonsense from a hopeless romantic locked behind bars, but today, all these emotions she had been hiding for so long were surfacing. As much as she didn't want them to, Sawyers sudden presence had brought them out in full force.

She finally was able to let the tears come.

While she cried in his arms, Sawyer felt the tension still pulsing through his chest. He WAS going to kill whoever sent this. That was just a fact. Underlying that tension was a obscured fear, that whoever this person was, they might be for real. That if he hadn't showed up last night, (was it really just last night?) he might have read about her in the morning news. Moving her to a safe place was the number one priority. If the letters were coming to the apartment, then the guy obviously knew where she lived.

He might have to call in a few favors...but looking down at the soft brown curls resting on his chest, and her tiny hand curled on this shoulder, he knew that if he had to work everyday for the rest of his life at it, he would keep her safe. Trying to convince even _himself_ that he could, he held her back at arms length, wanting to get a sense of her emotional state. Her eyes were clear, looking into his with the kind of resolve that he respected her for. She had pushed the fear aside, and was speaking to him through her eyes, thanking him. She might have been the strongest person Sawyer knew.

"I need the other letters." He said.

Without a word, she walked over and reached under her bed, pulling out a large memento box with girly pink flowers swirling across it. Sawyer gave her a dry look, and she secretly appreciated how he could bring out her smile without even knowing it. She dropped it on the bed and when she removed the cover, curiosity had him walking over.

She shifted papers and newsclipings around. He caught glimpses of headlines about the rescue, her trial, her case. He bit his tongue when he saw an envelope with a return address to a one: Jack Sheppard. She noticed this, but chose to ignore it. Finally she pulled out a large manila envelope. It wasn't very thick, but she handed it to him like it weighed a hundred pounds. When he began to open it, Kate held her breath. Every time a letter had come, she read it once, processed it, and tucked it into the envelope and never looked at it again. She wasn't sure why she had even kept them.

He took the envelope from her and without looking, tucked it under his arm. He gave her a tight lipped fake smile, and she knew he was trying very hard to keep his control. She was very greatful for it.

He turned abruptly and started to leave the bedroom.

"Wait!" she cried "Where the hell are you going?"

"Sassafras..." He begin in a familiar cocky tone "pack your things...we're taking us a little trip. B ack in 2 hours. and be ready for me."

She huffed loudly as he walked out of the room without bothering to close the door. She sat next to her box, and began to re-pack the papers, muttering to herself about bossy, southern, rednecked...

Before she could finish the curse, he had returned and was hauling her up a second time. He crushed his lips against hers, pouring every ounce of himself into her startled mouth. He was scared, and if he never saw her again, he wanted her to remember his taste. Her head would have bent back from the force, but his hands were in her hair, steadying it, drawing her into his kiss. Sparks shot through her. They sizzled the nerves all the way to her toes, and she was breathless when he abruptly pulled away. Sawyer could only rest his forehead against hers, as they each fought to catch their breath. "Dont go anywhere" he whispered.

"I wont." She could barely hear her own voice.

With her promise, he turned and left.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thanks to everyone for your kind reviews. I tried to make this chapter a little lighter, but i feel a dark and scary turn of events coming. thanks again for sticking with my story. Love you guys!

Chapter 8

Sawyer left Kate's apartment with a purpose. He first stopped at a payphone, three blocks from away. Inside the booth, he took a steadying breath before dropping the coins in. He dialed the number from memory, and realized that he was suddenly nervous. It was different feeling for Sawyer. Being a conman all those years had steeled his nerves. But, his mind bounced to Kate's face fleetingly, and he quickly swatted away the memory of fear in her stubborn eyes. He _had_ to focus. It was important for him not to open himself too much in this situation, he had to be ready for anything, just like back in the conning days.

"Too late for that Ace" he laughed to himself, remembering the way her lips felt, soft and yielding against his. He licked his lips in memory as he listened to the phone ring endlessly. Just as he was about to give up, and other end suddenly picked up.

"What." the voice proclaimed rudely.

"_What." _Sawyer mocked the man. "Is that how they answer the phone in Pakistan?"

There was a pause. Sawyer could hear his friend smiling. "I'm not from Pakistan Sawyer. I think you mean Iraq"

"Iraq, Iran….Your in America now, and I think I might just call in the favor you owe me for that. " he waited a beat. "Can you meet me Sayid?"

The fact that Sawyer had used his real name told Sayid that his reluctant friend was in major trouble. He agreed, and quickly scribbled down the address.

"Okay" he replied "an hour." Sayid hung up the phone.

Back at the apartment, after Kate had washed the tears from her face, she and Ana Lucia were seated across from each other in the kitchen. Ana had made herself at home, finishing her own breakfast, and leaving a leftover plate on the stovetop.

"I didn't know you cooked." Kate commented to break the silence.

"The therapist said I should do something constructive to control my anger." Ana looked at the plate of perfect pancakes, smiled a bit. "Girls got to eat."

Feeling a little more comfortable, Kate chuckled to herself.

"Try one." Ana offered. "promise they wont kill ya." She said it so seriously, Kate was a bit taken aback. Laughing at her discomfort, Ana grabbed a small plate, and piled 4 huge ones on it for Kate. Before she could object, she slathered it with butter and above Kate's protests, dumped at least a quarter bottle of syrup on top. "Your too skinny Kate. We're not on the island anymore." Ana all but shoved a fork into her hand, before she sat back down.

Kate took a sample bite. It was so dainty, Ana actually snorted. To Ana, Kate had grown into an entirely different person since the rescue. She vividly remembered seeing Kate for the first time on the island, thinking that this was one tough woman. When she had found out that this woman was a criminal being escorted back to the US, Ana had immediately decided to hold her at an arms length. She didn't need anymore drama after what she had done to Shannon in the jungle.

Sure, there had been a bit of a rivalry between them. Two tough alpha females in camp. Initially Ana was very attracted to Dr. Jack, but during the rescue, Sawyer wasn't the only person who was stabbed by the Doc's aggressive kiss by the helicopter. Ana had witnessed it from nearby and was totally shocked. The way Jack had flirted with her after they had reunited, had , at the time, given Ana a spark of hope that she wasn't ruined forever. Over the next few days, her and the doctor had flirted endlessly.

She had been foolish to over look Jack's stolen glances at Kate, but then he had kissed her. Kissed her in a way that she hadn't been kissed since before her child had been taken from her. At that moment, Ana believed in love for the first time in a very long time.

But when the black helicopters had landed on shore, Jack hadn't even sought her out. She only saw the kiss, and the guilty look Jack gave her as he brushed past her on the beach. On the way back to the States, the Doctor didn't even speak a word to her. She hated him then, and pushed all the feeling she held away, back to where they were used to hiding.

Ana shook away the quick hot stab she always got thinking about the doc, and asked Kate if she could use the shower and borrow some clothes. She hadn't had a chance to pack much before the gun buyers had burst into the apartment. She barely made it down the fire escape without being caught.

Alone in the kitchen, Kate looked at all the nice things lies had bought her. She thought of Sam Austen again, sitting in jail, and pushed away the plate of barely touched pancakes in disgust. With her shoulders hunched in sadness, she went to her closet, and got out her luggage.

Carrying a medium sized Louis Vatton overnight bag, given to her as a gift from Jack on her first trip to LA, she threw it on the bed and opened her closet. Hastily she pulled out a pair of jeans and a fitting black sweater for Ana, and unsure what she should be packing, she began to grab essentials.

Her anxiety over what to pack grew as she shuffled through her lingerie drawer. She was totally unsure of where she was going, but she was more concerned about what would happen when they got there. She knew that Sawyer would be staying in the same place, and the thought of it frightened her. It had been a very very long time since Kate had taken a lover. Although, she thought dryly, by the looks of the underwear she had, one would think she was a regular party girl.

Somehow, deep in her heart, she knew that Sawyer would eventually become her lover. Did it really matter what kind of underwear she brought? Thinking of the look in his eyes, in the bathroom the night before as she had tended to his wounds, Kate doubted very much Sawyer would even pay attention. With this thought she felt a sharp tingling that went straight through her belly.

She grabbed a couple pair of underwear randomly and threw them in her bag. Grabbing a handful more, she quickly moved to her pajama drawer. She shifted through it absently, grabbing sweats ,yoga pants, and the men's undershirts, or wife beaters, she preferred to sleep in.

Just as a slinky, rather see thru black nighty slipping through her fingers, Ana stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a thick towel.

"I think Sawyer is a red man." She remarked as Kate blushed and frantically tried to stuff it back in the drawer.

"I wasn't…." she stammered.

"It's okay, I know you got the hot's for him."

_Hot's_, wasn't exactly the word Kate would use to describe her feelings for Sawyer, she thought. But remained silent, and slightly mortified.

"Here, these should fit." Kate tried to change the topic as she handed Ana the clothes. Without abash, Ana dropped the towel and got dressed, leaving the room laughing out loud at her former rival. Things had changed indeed, she thought. Kate Austen was hiding somewhere inside that dainty scared little girl in that bedroom. It was time to get her back Ana decided.

Kate continued to pack. However her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the danger she may come to face.

And now, Sawyer was back in her life. She smiled at the thought. At the way he had kissed her before he left, the way she had felt safe. She brought a hand to her lips, remembering how he had hauled her up strongly against him. She felt heat creep into her neck, and thought of his rough hands, holding her there, strong and sure of himself. Arrogant jerk.

Since their very first kiss, Kate had made the mistake of revealing exactly what his lips did to her. It was all her fault, actually that he could never take the _fake _hint she always tried to play on him. All he had to do was touch her and he could feel her nerves light on fire, always, ALWAYS, knowing what he was capable of.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Sawyer, whether he knew it or not, would always have the upper hand on her. She was his.

Alarms shot thorough her brain. She was his? When did this happen? She wasn't exactly sure. But she was sure that every single day, since the rescue; everyday of her trial, every evening spent with Jack, every lonely night, she had thought of Sawyer. Every time Jack had doted gifts and outings on her, she wished it was Sawyer. Every time she laughed or cried, or was uncertain, she had, somewhere deep in her heart, wished that Sawyer was there to share in it with her.

She had almost given up on him, but then there he was, standing on the curb, with a smart remark and all dimples and sexy stubble, and her heart given itself over to….a different side.

On a sigh, she finished packing and lugged her suitcase to the living room. She paced for a moment and wondered how she was going to keep herself from sitting here wondering what he was doing, and when he would come back for her.


	9. Chapter 9

This chapter is a long time coming, and i wanted to say that i have a lot more in mind. Lots of great Skate romance i think in the future. i am going to post chapter 10 almost immeadiatly. have already written it, and am polishing it right now. please review, good, bad or ugly, and i think everyone sincerely for their great support!

Chapter 9

Sayid sat in the last booth of the dingy diner. It was just after the lunch rush, and the place was still busy with customers. He purposely sat in the smoking section, anticipating Sawyers arrival. When the young waitress came to see if he needed anything, he ordered a coffee, barely glancing up from the newspaper he had spread over the yellow tinged linoleum tabletop. At his rudeness, the waitress spared him an annoyed snort, before quickly walking away. The noise caught his attention and he glanced up just to see her retreating form. She was young based on the bounce in her step. Pale, by the back of her legs. But what caught his attention the most was the way the light caught her blonde hair. It was golden among the smoke, and ugliness of the restaurant. It made him think of Shannon.

Beautiful Shannon. She was young, just like that waitress. Every night he thought of her as he lay in his small apartment. Every night he remembered "that" night; that single beautiful night he spent with her. And then the following day that she was taken from him. The same way he thought of "that" night, he remembered the weight of her lifeless body in his arms as he carried her back to camp to be buried next to her brother.

Even with his life so rapidly different then it used to be, Sayid still blinked back tears as the waitress brought him his coffee. He purposely smiled at her, and she blushed.

That's the way Sawyer saw his friend as he entered the diner. : Smiling charmingly at a blonde waitress.

As she rushed past Sawyer, Sayid suddenly noticed his arrival and stood to shake his hand. A wealth of knowledge and history passed between their eyes, as they greeted each other without words.

"Tortured anyone lately Ali?"

Long used to his language, Sayid slanted him a dry look.

Sawyer chuckled, as the waitress brought another cup of coffee for him. They both drank it black, sizing each other up from across the booth.

"So…." Sayid prompted.

"So…." Sawyer repeated, nodding his head slightly.

Rolling his eyes, Sayid leaned in closer, and dropped his voice. "What the hell is going on Sawyer? Why the abrupt phone call, making me hike half way across New York to this disgusting place?" When Sawyer didn't answer immediately, he continued "Don't tell me you got in trouble again with those Mexicans, Sawyer, what did I tell you….?"

"It's not that for God sake" Sawyer said fiercely. He paused…. "It's worse."

Sayid took a calm sip of his coffee, his eyes revealing nothing. He sat for a moment, thinking.

"What do you need?" he suddenly asked.

"Just like that? No questions?"

"Is it still really that hard for you to believe that people might do you a favor as a _friend, James?"_

Sawyer blinked at the use of his name. The new people in his life, from the island, had actually become Sawyers friends. Well, as close to friends as he had ever had. It still made him nervous; to have people in his life that had grown to like him, then respect him. After the rescue, he had unexpectedly changed. He did favors for Sayid, and Ana. Even though neither had seen each others since the rescue, they _were_ Sawyers friends.

However, that didn't mean that he didn't keep the façade of his former self. "Don't call me that Sayid."

He still wasn't ready to give up on finding the man who ruined his life. Until he gave that up, or confronted it, in whatever way fate chose, he couldn't, no wouldn't, drop the use of that name.

They sat in silence for a moment. Sawyer wouldn't look at Sayid, and Sayid stared at him intensely, smirking.

"I need you to fingerprint something."

"Fingerprinting powder is very hard to come by…."

Before Sayid could finish the sentence, Sawyer pulled out the small vial Ana had given him and set it on the table. Sayid took it and held it up to the fluorescent light. It was stark black and fine. "Where did you get this?"

"Not important…..what _is _important, are these." Sawyer pulled out the envelope containing The Wolf's letters. He set them on the table, and wanted to spit on them.

Sayid opened the seal and took one out, scanning it quickly. He looked at Sawyer for confirmation. Sawyer nodded at the threat, and Sayid replaced the letter.

"Who?..."

"Kate."

"Kate" Sayid repeated to himself.

"Someone has been sending her those, off and on for the last few months." Sawyer laughed bitterly, "She wouldn't have told me or anyone about them, until I forced it from her. Damn stubborn woman."

Sayid noticed the look in his eyes, and raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Ok…what else?"

"We need a place to hide out. Somewhere outside the city, but close enough I can get here if I need to. I have cash, but we can't use my name, or hers."

"Okay." Sayid agreed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah... what?" Sawyer replied, his voice dripping with attitude.

"What will happen when Kate wants to call you James?"

"Listen, Ali…" Sawyer threw in the nicknames he used so often "…why do suddenly interested in my affairs? Dontcha got a woman yet?"

The look on Sayid's face was quick, so quick, that if Sawyer hadn't known him so well, you might have missed it. Grief washed over Sayid, quickly, white hot, like lightning. Sawyer regretted his words. But what the hell? Sayid had cornered him. He knew goddamn well Sawyer still didn't acknowledge James, so what the hell was he carrying on about? He was sick of Sayid always trying to psycho analyze him. He used the jab, knowing that Sayid would quickly shut down, and it had worked.

"Look…." Sawyer said, taking a scalding sip of his coffee. It was too hot, and burned his mouth and throat. He savored the pain.

However insignificant it was, Sawyer always savored pain. It reminded him of who he really was. "I shouldn't have….."

"No...its okay. Shannon died a long time ago." Sayid laughed bitterly, "I was only with her one night…."

"Sometimes, it only takes a moment."

Sayid looked up in surprise at the comment. It seemed so unlike Sawyer, to say something so….soft, and deep. Amused, if not slightly disturbed, Sayid excused himself to use the pay phone in the back of the diner. He needed to make a call regarding the house that was needed.

Fifteen minutes, after forcing down two cups of bad coffee, when Sawyer was ready to jump out of the booth to find him, Sayid returned. Sitting back down, he slipped a piece of paper across the table. With the scratchy handwriting all over it, Sawyer could barely read the address, but he put the paper in his pocket and smiled across the table.

"Thanks Sayid."

Sayid deliberately made eye contact. Holding Sawyers gaze for a moment. "You're Welcome."

As he began to slid out of the booth, Sayid caught his arm. "Be careful Sawyer. Kate has a second chance, don't drag he into something. "

Sawyer laughed slightly. "Brother, she's the one who has dragged me. You can reach me on my cell with the fingerprinting."

Sayid nodded, and watched his friend hurry out of the diner. He took one of the letters out again, and read the creepy message. On a sigh, he got up, dropping a twenty on the table, and winked at the blonde waitress as he left the restaurant.

All her bags were stacked near the door. Kate was pacing the living room, stopping once in a while to stare out the apartment window to the city streets below. She contemplated calling Jack, but decided against it, not knowing how she would explain her sudden….trip. Jack hadnt bothered to call her either, which showed


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Kate was tired of waiting. Her bags were stacked near the door. She had dressed carefully, in snug jeans, and a loose fitting dark purple hooded sweater over a long sleeve tee shirt, with sturdy boots and thick socks. Having no idea what was in store once she walked out that door didn't sit comfortably with Kate. For all she knew, they were sleeping in a tent tonight.

Jack would be freaking out right now, she thought dryly, as she made a last minute check of her bedroom for anything she may have forgotten. He would be telling her not to leave, to go to the police, not to trust Sawyer.

First of all, Jack could never understand her discomfort at being inside a police station. And Jack also would never understand that she was tired of being in the spot light that he seemed to think was so important. As soon as she went to the police, the media, who loved a good story, would hound her. She was just starting to get out of that spotlight. For Kate, _true _ freedom was a distant light a the end of the tunnel now, if she could just keep heading in that direction.

Secondly, trusting Sawyer? Kate smirked to herself. _That's_ what they were about to find out.

She had always felt something….different toward Sawyer. He was right about their connection.

On the "hike", when they first crashed and went out to get a stronger signal, she assumed that he was not a good man. Up until that point, he had been nothing but cold, and mean to her and everyone else. But hour into the journey, they hit a rough wall of rocks that needed to be scaled.

Shannon had really been struggling, she remembered fondly. She struggled too, but was always determined to do things on her own, choosing instead to struggle silently. Then he reached down for her. Helped pull her up. When they got to the top, he barely could look her in the eyes. He was hiding something; didn't want her to acknowledge what he had done. And she knew in that exact moment, that they were connected. Both ugly. Both bad, and both good.

When he had ousted her as the criminal to the rest of the group, Kate had vowed never to speak to him again.

She could admit now, that she made a mistake challenging him in the first place, but at the time, she was scared, and desperate. When fear and desperation began to seep into Kate, she always, ALWAYS came out swinging.

The betrayal had stung none the less and she purposely left the beach the day the raft launched without saying goodbye. It was childish, she knew, but sometimes, acting childish was her way. No one was perfect. Sawyer most of all probably have understood that.

Now here she was, basically putting her life in his hands. Even if it was by accident. Well she had no other choice. Sam was gone, and she had no one else to turn to.

She heard Ana typing on a laptop on the breakfast counter.

"Where is he?"

Ana tried to look annoyed. Truth was, she was a little worried herself. Sawyer had been gone for hours, and it wasn't like him not to check in with her during a crisis (which occurred often between to two conning partners).

She and Kate had been trapped in this apartment all afternoon. Making _small _talk. Ugh, if there was anything Ana didn't like doing, it was making _small_ talk.

"Once again, I don't know Kate. He hasn't answered his cell, and hasn't called….maybe you could set off a smoke signal" She added sarcastically.

Kate let the jibe roll off her shoulders. She was too stressed to even think of a retort.

Ana was slightly disappointed though. Kate was turning out to be totally different then she remembered. That wouldn't have necessarily been bad, except that the new Kate was kind of a….girl. What have they done to you ? she thought as she busily entered codes on the laptop.

After a moment, Ana heard a heaved sigh, "Well that's it, I'm gonna…." Kate paused half way to the door.

What the hell was she going to do? She had no idea where he was. She could try the cell, but Kate had a feeling that if he hadn't been answering all day, he certainly wouldn't answer now.

"What the hell are _you_ gonna do Kate?" Ana asked, eerily echoing Kate's own doubts.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kate had rounded on her, ready to take out her frustration on the other woman.

"Well, I mean…." Ana was backtracking, thrilled that, the fiery look, of the Kate of old, had spontaneously spring into the other woman's eyes "…..its not like your 'Kate of the Jungle' anymore."

Kate continued to stare at her, not responding, arms crossed in defense.

"I mean look at you! You used to be….so….hard."

"Hard?"

"Yeah, tough, independent, sassy, not prissy and uptight like you are now." She paused, looking Kate up and down. "Who have you been hanging out with anyways?"

Kate's mind flashed to Jack, and she internally rolled her eyes.

"No one, its just, not many jury's want to acquit, tough, sassy _jungle _Kate'." Kate said defensively " I guess the act has just stuck."

"Well I think you outta drop the act Kate. Sawyer dosent like prissy women." With that, Kate's jaw dropped in shock, heat and color creeping into her cheeks, which caused Ana to dissolve into laughter.

"Its obvious…_freckles_."

Kate had turned her back on the laughter in Ana's eyes.

After a moment of sarcastic laughter, Ana went back to the computer, and Kate went back to pacing and worrying.

She _did _miss that woman Ana had referred to as _jungle _Kate.

Jack and the media, had taken that girl away. The one who was always climbing on stuff she wasn't supposed to, getting dirty, and running around on adventures with the boys.

While she waited for Sawyer, Kate though about how to get her back.

Sawyer was contemplating the same problem as he rode the elevator up to Kate's floor.

Except, to him it was more how to get _rid _of Sawyer.

Automatically, his wall build went as he walked out of his meeting with Sayid. Damnit if he wasn't beginning to care about these people. It wasn't in his nature he told himself. Up until the island, he only cared for himself. Then he began to care for Kate, and it was all about her, for him, in their last days there.

After the island, he threw Kate from his mind, and there was Ana. They had become, dare he say, friends. Between Ana, and Sayid, they had basically browbeaten him into caring about them. And he wasn't very comfortable with that either.

It was hard enough caring for Kate, when she hadn't even been around for him to care for. But to have even more people, looking to him, caring about him, it was almost too much. He felt too much after talking with Sayid. He could see Shannon's ghost haunting his eyes, and he knew it could just as easily be the same for him, when Kate walked out of his life.

The elevator doors opened suddenly, snapping him from his depressing thoughts, and quickly made his way down the hall to the apartment. He knocked on the door forcefully, and them reminded himself of the need to suppress the anger he was just feeling. He didn't need to scare Kate more then she already was.

He heard the latch opening and fixed a cocky grin on his face. The door swung open, and Kate was standing there, arms crossed.

He tried to be cute, by crinkling his eyebrows at her, but she simply raised an eyebrow, and stepped back from the door. He stepped quickly past her, noting that she was packed and ready just like he told her to be.

"Louis Vutton huh? Sheena goin high class on me?"

His joke earned him a cold look, as Kate re-latched the door.

"Where have you been? "

"Worried about me freckles?" He tried to sound casual, but was deeply interested in her answer.

"After all this time, is it still so hard to believe?" She asked echoing Sayid's words at the restaurant. For the second time that day, he felt a flicker of guilt he wasn't used to.

Before instinct could kick in with a snappy comeback, she turned on her heel, and walked away from him. He let out a breath, internally fighting between James and Sawyer, the urge to say something nasty.

James told him to go after her. She was scared, and alone, and he wanted to take care of her. Sawyer told him to walk out the door and never look back.

Before "they" could decide their differences however, Ana walked by. She tipped her head in greeting, totally used to his lack of responsibility.

"You ready?" he asked, knowing she always was.

"Ready as I was say……4 hours ago." She said, making a dramatic motion of checking her watch.

Rolling his eyes, he started in the direction that Kate had gone. He found her in her bedroom, standing in front of the window, arms crossed in front of her.

"Where are we going?" she asked without turning.

"Long Island."

"To a house?" she asked doubtfully.

"No, to a barn." When she turned around, her eyes told him she either hadn't gotten the joke, or wasn't in the mood for it. Her jaw was set, her stance defiant. She looked fierce, and beautiful. Something had changed in her since he left this morning. He dropped the veneer. "Of course a house. Geez, where did you think we were gonna go? Camping?" his dimples flashed.

That's exactly what she _had _thought, she reminded herself dryly.

She felt herself softening toward him. The banter between them always made her do that. Her anger was slowly fading, and was replaced with a numb exhaustion. The events of the past few months were beginning to catch up. If she didn't keep her guard up, this….Wolf person, wouldn't have too hard a time catching her in his trap.

Sawyer walked slowly over to where she was standing, sensing the shift in her mood. He stood a foot apart from her, unsure if he could get away with touching her. She smelled like expensive vanilla. She kept her eyes averted, trying to hide the heat growing in her cheeks. So instead of kissing her like part of him wanted to, he lightly ran his hands up and down her arms.

Slowly she looked up at him, eyes swimming with questions and statements, and declarations, and secrets. But they scared him a little. So he stepped back, and ran a hand through his hair.

"you ready?"

She quickly tried to regain her dignity, feeling rejected.

"Yeah." she answered distantly, instantly dropping the moment from her face.

When she walked by, he reached out for her, but pulled away at the last second. Something had changed in him too since he left this morning. He suddenly felt like he didn't deserve to be so close to her. He didn't deserve to try and protect her. And he defiantly didn't deserve to love her.

"Where did you get the car?"

"Do you _always _ask so many questions?"

Kate rolled her eyes.

"Okay okay. A friend."

Kate just huffed and started down the steps of the apartment building, hoisting her backpack on her shoulders.

He caught up with her. "Had to promise him an autograph though." With this he winked at her, taking the backpack from her and loading it into the trunk.

She tried to keep the corners of her mouth from twitching, however her dimples gave her away. When Kate reached down to adjust a bag, he reached out purposely, brushing her hand with the back of his.

Enjoying the way her face changed when he stepped into her space, he smiled down at her. They locked eyes, and for a moment, the banter vanished, and something raw was exchanged. Time seemed to stand still, and Kate couldn't seem to tear her eyes away.

"Ahem."

Something snapped, and Sawyer whipped his head around to see Ana , hands on her hips, the sneer, she seemed to save just for him, plastered all over her face.

"Are you guys gonna be like this the whole trip? Cause, uh, we'll need to stop at the store for some Pepto. I already feel like I am gonna puke."

Sawyer suppressed a groan, while Kate did her best to ignore the woman. Satisfied and smug, Ana jumped in the back seat, closing the door firmly.

Kate looked at Sawyer again, rolling her eyes. He touched her cheek surprising her with the sudden tenderness after the rejection a few moments ago. Deciding to walk away now, Kate went around him, and got in the passenger seat without a word.

Dropping his head in defeat, Sawyer got in the driver side, and buckled up. Checking the traffic, he took a steadying breath before starting down the street toward the house Sayid had arranged. He figured if traffic was light, he could make it in an hour. As long as he could get her there, and safe, then he could figure out what the next step was.

The man stepped quickly from the phone booth across from Kate's apartment, and was lucky to catch a passing vacant taxi. He threw in his gear, slightly panicked. Jumping in himself, he practically threw a one hundred dollar bill at the driver.

"Follow that dark sedan. Don't loose them."

His prey was on the move.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Once they were on the road, the dread immediately started to creep into Kate's mind. She was inexplicably nervous and trying her best not to show it.

Glancing quickly at her traveling companions, she thought about how hardened they both seemed. How…used to this kind of craziness they both were. She wondered what kind of "adventures" they had been up to since they were rescued, and pushed away a sense of envy.

Sawyer had both hands on the wheel, his mouth set in a grim line, and he was scowling at the bumper to bumper traffic of the bridge.

Ana was in the back seat with her legs propped against the back of Kate's seat.

Damn it if they weren't digging into her lower back, making her uncomfortable. It was actually annoying, and uncomfortable, but Kate's newly attained manners automatically kicked in, and she chose to remain silent.

The fact that she did so, bothered her for the next hour.

Ana was right back at the apartment. Something _had _shifted on the inside, making her into one of those girls she used to hate. Until the point she and Sawyer had stormed into her life, Kate hadn't noticed that part of her slipping away. It was both a scary and important part, and she wasn't sure how she could get it back.

Kate sighed miserably and felt lost.

She was just playing the role fate had handed her right?

When Sam had taken the rap for her, she had decided, no, vowed, to always be grateful for the life he had restored. The she would become good.

Good.

She rolled that word around in her mind, and laughed bitterly. Kate had spent so much time and energy analyzing what the meaning of that word was, that she ran herself in circles trying to achieve it.

After the trial, Jack's expectations for her slowly grew into pressure for her to become what he thought of as good. Looking sidelong at Sawyer again, she thought that maybe he and Ana had thought she was "good" all along. The idea made her heart swell in a way it hadn't in a very long time. These two people were risking their lives for her, and Kate blinked back tears that she was surprised had sprung into her eyes.

Thinking of her last encounter with jack, his idea of "good" alarmingly snapped into focus. Riding on impulse, Kate turned suddenly in her seat.

"Ana! Would you stop digging into my back with those ugly ass commando boots your so fond of?"

The sharpness of her tone took Ana back a bit, and her mouth dropped open slightly in surprise. She quickly recovered however, and after a second, perhaps sizing Kate's new attitude up, she said simply "Sure" and slowly lowered her legs to the floor.

Kate faced front again, checking Sawyer for a reaction or retort. He glanced at her, but said nothing, and she settled back into her seat, feeling more confident then she had in months. She stretched dramatically, causing the corner of Sawyers mouth to rise slightly, and Kate never caught the amused look he and Ana shared in the rearview.

As Kate dozed in the seat next to him, Sawyer forced himself to loosen his grip on the steering wheel. They had been driving for over two hours, having just escaped Manhattan due to the God forsaken traffic.

That was one thing he did miss about Tennessee. The "country" of it. The wide open spaces with no taxies or limos or damn bike messengers, all trying to get to the same place at the same time.

The place they were in now, would be considered "country" by anyone who was used to the noise and crowds of Manhattan. But in reality it was the suburb of Long Island, disguised at "country".

One of the few memories Sawyer allowed himself to keep, was waking up before sunrise with his father to go fishing.

They would start out at dawn, and as a small child, young James would press his nose against the window, in awe of the rolling mountains in the distance. They were always covered in mist that early in the day, with their rounded summits poked through the top of the wispy white clouds. At the time, young James had thought it was a kind of magic.

His father had, at one point, been like any normal father. He took James fishing and camping, and indulged the young imaginative child with stories of powerful sorcerers and dragons, princess and magic.

Now, catching a glimpse of his eyes in the rearview, it was hard to believe that the cold hard blue steel looking back at him had ever believes in such nonsense.

Kate shifted in her seat so that her body was angled toward him.

Well…maybe he still believed in princesses.

But he was no prince. His father had made sure of that.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate awoke to the darkness. It seemed they had been driving forever. But with the late afternoon traffic, she guessed that they weren't 15 miles from her apartment, even though the scenery had drastically changed.

Now, instead of tall sleek buildings, there was space. Great open fields….and farms?

There were farms this close to the city she wondered?

Where exactly were they going?

Sawyer seemed confident enough in their destination, and although it was something she rarely did, she decided to just trust him.

She snuck a sideways glance at Sawyer. His face was illuminated by the dash board lights, and she felt a familiar, if uncomfortable, tug in the pit of her stomach.

Noticing her looking at him from the corner of his eye, he almost blushed under her stare. Then laughed at the absurdity of it.

"What's so funny?"

"See something you like?" His dimples deepened.

"ha."

"Starin awful hard there Freckles." Now he was grinning.

She was at a loss for words. Physically, she DID see something that she liked. What woman wouldn't look at a man that looked like Sawyer, and find him attractive?

But, more and more, she saw something deeper in Sawyer that she liked. It scared her beyond belief, but, his heart was shining through his armor more and more with every passing mile.

"Just drive Tex."

He laughed silently, and Kate stared out the window, willing her thought somewhere else.

When they finally arrived at the house Sayid had arranged, both girls were sleeping.

Ana was sprawled across the back seat, her head at an awkward angle as she tried to use a bag for a pillow.

Kate had her feet tucked up with her arms wrapped around her knees and her head drooped lazily on her knees.

How in the world could anyone sleep that way? Sawyer wondered.

He noticed her lips were pursed together and she was snoring lightly.

That fact amused him immensely. Some princess he thought lightly, resisting the urge to brush her hair back so he could see her freckles.

Instead, he swung the car door open, and climbed out, feeling stiff and suddenly exhausted.

He left them sleeping and started to haul their gear.

It was a small house, but elegant with large floor to ceiling windows making up the front of the house. A large worn wooden porch took up the entire front of the a frame, and Sawyer scanned it quickly for the stupid gargoyle statue, that Sayid had told him the key would be hidden under.

He located it tucked between a long iron planter overgrown with late summer flowers. They look quite frightening in the bright moonlight.

Before replacing the statue, the gargoyle itself caught his attention.

It was small, no more then eight inches high. But it was crouched down and sticking its tongue out obnoxiously. It was as if the statue was mocking him!

Oddly freaked out, he stuck his tongue out and immediately felt childish.

"…and what did he ever do to you?"

It was Ana, and she was standing there with her hands on her hips, an all too serious look on her face.

For a moment, Sawyer tried to think of an answer, but then realized, as her face change to a smirk, that she was messing with him.

He rolled his eyes, and all but threw the statue back in its position. Walking over to open the front door, he squinted his eyes, intent on looking evil, and said.

"Reminded me of you is all."

Ana laughed, and punched him in the shoulder, following him inside.

After bringing everything inside, Sawyer went back out for Kate who was now sprawled across the front seat, not bothering to wonder why they had stopped.

"Kate?" he called.

She stirred a little, and he felt his stomach tense up. She was just so damn beautiful!

Getting annoyed with himself, he shook her a little roughly, and she shot up, shrinking defensively as far away as possible. She had the look of a caged animal in her eyes, and seemed confused….or afraid he thought miserably.

Feeling bad, and not knowing what to say, he tucked his hands into his pockets.

Slowly, her eyes came into focus, and she peered out the window into the dark forest that surrounded the property.

"where are we?" she asked.

"We're uh….home. I guess."

She seemed to notice the house for the first time. In the darkness, it glowed warmly with the lights burning bright. Kate could see Ana walking from room to room though the tall windows.

Sawyer came over to her side, and opened the door, taking her hand.

The contact broker her thoughts, and she looked up at Sawyer as he was pulling her to her feet.

She felt stiff, but didn't think she had slept that well in months.

Vaguely, she wondered why, but already knew the answer.

"Gonna spend the night out here?"

Kate smiled at him, and he quickly dropped her hand from his, alarmed at what her smile could do to him.

Disappointed, Kate grabbed her backpack and brushed part him toward the house.

This distance between them had been there from the beginning of their relationship, but Kate was beginning to get tired of it. She looked back at him. He was still standing by the car, but with his back turned to her in thought.

"you coming?" Kate asked hopefully.

He didn't answer at first.

"Gonna smoke." he said simply, and walked away from her down the gravel driveway, disappearing into the darkness.

Her eyes followed him sadly. She wanted to go with him, but her pride had her turning back into the house to find the shower.

Sawyer stood at the edge of the dirt road that ran in front of the house. From the road, you could barely make out the warm glow of the lights of the windows.

He supposed that the seclusion of the woods made for good cover, but couldn't suppress a creepy feeling that was nagging at him.

Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end, and he turned quickly in an panicked circle, feeling like he was being watched.

There wasn't a sound in the night, and the silence seemed to be enveloping him. Scaring him.

To Sawyer, this was unacceptable. And so, in rebellion against his fear, he angrily peered into the woods. Staring hard to try and make out what was causing this sinking feeling. There was someone out there. He could feel it.

Before he could start over toward the brush that caught his attention, a car was speeding down the road. It was on top of him before he noticed it, and he just managed to step off the road as the taxi cab whooshed by him, its tail lights disappearing in seconds around the curve in the road.

Highly insulted, Sawyer hurled his cigarette at the retreating cab, and yelled a very rude obscenity in vain.

He stood there catching his breath, and looked back at the house.

Deciding he had spent enough time creeping himself out, he began making his way back toward it and the women who were waiting for him.

The cab driver almost jumped out of his skin when he almost hit the man who suddenly appeared in the road. He must have been starting to get fatigued, because he could have sworn he heard his passenger chuckle when the man practically dove for cover. And this kind of chuckle was the kind that made ones skin crawl.

"Stop" the passenger ordered.

And even though it was the middle of nowhere, the cabbie was glad to unload the passenger by the side of the road, in the dark. It had been a creepy four hours, and if the man hadn't kept shoving hundreds through the window, the driver would have demanded to stop a long time ago.

And so he sped off into the night, and The Wolf watched the tail lights disappear, and stood in the darkness allowing his vision adjust to the night, before stealthily stepping into the forest.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

She had the dream again. It was the morning after their late night arrival, and Kate had only slept a couple hours before the ocean air had seeped into her consciousness.

For most, the scent of the sea might bring back some warm childhood memory of family and sandcastles, beach towels and smiles. For Kate, that scent would always be associated with black smoke and fiery debris, uncertainty and chaos. At night she feared that salty sweet aroma, for it only meant she would be visited by that phantom shadow; the one who's sole pleasure and purpose seemed to be tormenting and mocking her

This morning, for some strange reason, Kate awoke angry.

Sick of feeling scared and useless, after the nightmare had come, Kate dressed hastily, slamming drawers, yanking on her boots, not caring who she woke. She marched determinedly down the stairs, and found the messy state of the house to be the perfect opportunity to work off the fierce tension riding on her mind.

A couple of hours later, the sun was on the rise, coffee was brewing, and somewhere between the hauling all of their gear to the spare room, and wiping every surface of the living room, Kate had decided to push the dream to the back of her mind as she had so many times before. There were more pressing things she should be worrying about.

It was beautiful here. She should at least try to appreciate that.

The early morning fog was just clearing and the trees were beginning to change into the gorgeous hues of flame, distinctive to this area of the country.

She was standing on the back deck of the house, letting the crisp air refresh her, contemplating walking to the lake at the end of the property. It was about fifty yards from the house she guessed, and she couldn't really seem the harm in taking a morning stroll down to check it out. So why did Sawyers face keep jumping into her mind?

Anger she might be able to handle. The worry was something else. She couldn't stand feeling so guilty about making them worry for her.

It was just that...she couldn't stand being cooped up in the house anymore. Not with the sky turning a sapphire blue. It was reflecting on the surface of the lake, making it look silver. The fresh water seemed to be enchanting her. This air didn't small at all like the ocean. It smelled like earth.

Making a quick decision, she grabbed her jacket and took off.

He had been watching her stare into space for twenty minutes now from his position under the brush at the edge of the woods. She was standing on the back deck, wrapped in a MANS flannel shirt. He felt the beginnings of rage course through his system, and closed his eyes to control it. For now, it had to be controlled. He had been given specific instructions from the man who hired him to keep his violent impulses in check.

After spending the night freezing, staring at her bedroom window, cursing her for trying to escape him, The Wolf felt his control slipping every minute that he spent crouched, waiting for her to make a move.

Suddenly, she seemed to come to a decision, and he watched her go back into the house, and re-emerge with a coffee mug in hand. His pulse quickened. She was leaving the safety of the house, heading down the worn path to the lake.

Letting her get enough of a head start, the man began to follow. He could just see her in front of him, walking briskly, and he did his best to keep up while still remaining in stealth. Finally, he decided to let her go ahead of him, and he followed at a slower pace, his smokers lungs having trouble keeping up.

He knew where she was headed, and it might just be her biggest mistake.

After about five minutes of pushing through the dense foliage, he saw her standing at the edge of the water, sipping from her mug. She had a satisfied grin on her face as her eyes followed a flock of geese making their way south for the winter. He imagined sneaking up behind her, and wrapping his hands around her soft neck, kissing her and squeezing until he could see her eyes bulge in the panic of her impending death. He felt himself grow hard at the fantasy, and was about to act on it when she began to move down the shore to a small old dock positioned about ten yards down.

She tested the wood with her weight, and deciding it was safe, walked out over the water. Death by drowning, he thought. That would be a thrill. No, no, he had to wait for permission to act from the boss. For now he was just supposed to scare her into paying. After she paid his boss, the man had been assured that he would be able to take his time with her, and that thought alone was what had sustained The Wolf throughout these last months of only watching her.

His steel grey eyes focused back on her. She was looking out over the water, breathing deeply. Her dark hair was whipping around her like a halo, and he began to see red at the edges of his vision. He gripped the tree next to him for support, and in doing so, snapped a large twig in half.

Her head whipped around, startled out of her thoughts. He remained absolutely still, not even breathing, scared that she would see him. If she did, he would be forced to act.

She seemed to be looking right at him, and he felt his heart rate increase with anticipation. If she began to run, it would finally be time, and The Wolf couldn't say that he would regret doing so against his orders. He could simply disappear, back into this blind society, where his kind roamed the nights. And all trophy's he took from her, the greatest love of his life, tucked neatly into his memory like those that had come before her.

The moment stretched for an eternity as he waited for her to make a move. When she abruptly turned and walked off the dock in the direction of his house his impulses seemed to overwhelm him.

Having enough of this cat and mouse game, he followed, slipping on his leather gloves in preparation for what he was about to do.

She had been stupid to come down here alone, and now, not even this person, this MAN, who was keeping her here would be able to protect her.

She disappeared around a curve ahead, and he started to make his move. Just as he was about to grab her from behind, a voice rang out harshly in the morning air.

"Kate!"

Sawyer was panicking.

After waking up to see the back door cracked open, he felt ill with worry and anger. The very first night he was supposed to keep her safe, she had been taken. Abducted from right under his nose.

"Kaaate!"

He wasn't sure why he was screaming her name. She was probably long gone by now. He ran back up into her room. All her stuff was still there. He ran back down. Had she actually cleaned the place? He thought incredulously.

She had! All their gear was neatly stacked in the spare room, and the common areas of the house were gleaming.

Sawyer opened the sliding door to the back again, and scanned the tree line. He noticed her shoes were gone, and there was coffee on the counter, but his overwhelming fear of something bad happening to her, seemed to block all common the sense from his brain.

"Damnit" he curse when he couldn't find the shirt he had tossed on the couch last night. Without bothering to find another one, he pulled on his boots, needing to do something.

He had to find her. If she wasn't on the property, he would call Sayid, and the rest of his contacts. He would pay whatever it took to get her back. If The Wolf took her last night, Sawyer doubted that she would even be alive. He fisted his hands. If she was dead, he vowed to spend his dying days avenging her.

He shook the thought out of his head as he tore out of the house down the path to the lake. The cold air hit his bare skin but did nothing for the heat that was simmering in his gut. So help him, if she was down this path, daydreaming, and picking daisies he was going to…beat her senseless? Kiss her? haul her over his knee? Well, he was going to do something, and wasn't going to be pretty.

He had laid out the rules last night for her. She hadn't liked it, but she wasn't supposed to leave without letting him know first. It seemed bossy and childish, but to Sawyer, it was a necessary annoyance. She was his responsibility now, and even though she would rather ear dirt then admit it, she was depending on him.

How was he going to protect her if he couldn't even keep track of her?

"Kate!" He used his hands in an attempt to yell louder, but all her could head around him was the bustling of trees and the autumn breeze shaking the dry branches.

He was about to give up when Kate appeared walking quickly down the path. Sawyer nearly collapsed. She hadn't noticed him yet, but he clenched his jaw against the rage that had been building inside since he had peeked into her room that morning.

"Just what the hell do you think your doing!"

His voice startled Kate, and she jumped back putting a hand over her heart. She might have laughed, but she was incredibly nervous. He thought she looked ready for a battle, and regretted what he was about to do.

Slowly he walked the five feet separating them. Kate looked at the ground, but her fists were clenched. He grabbed one of the roughly, pulling it up in front of her face.

"Is this what your gonna fight HIM with?"

She wouldn't look at him, and he realized that she was either going to cry, or going to punch him in the face. In defiance, he shook her arm, making her finally meet his eyes. He realized it was going to be the later, as she motioned to take a swing at him. He was prepared, and gripped her other wrist hard.

"You want to fight? Ok lets fight then!" He was too riled up to even let her explain, and she knew that it would be useless to try.

"Let go of me Sawyer." She said through gritted teeth.

"Not until you tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours. If I am supposed to be protecting you…."

"Your not supposed to be, I never asked for this you just…..just, stormed into my life, took me over, and….I needed some air!"

"Took you over? It was you who took me over sweetheart, and so far its not working out too well."

She looked visibly hurt by his words, but he couldn't stop.

"you know, maybe, just maybe you could show a little gratitude!"

"Gratitude? For what? You manhandling me all the time? Or for kissing me, and then pretending like nothing happened? For dragging me out here to this gorgeous place only to lock me in a cage and tell me I need your "permission" to leave?"

"Is that what you think this is? Some lame ass game of "who's the man?"

She hadn't meant to sound so ungrateful. Especially after totally creeping herself out by the lake.

"I just meant...I needed air Sawyer. I cant stand being so cooped up all the time." She was trying to soften her voice to calm him down, but it didn't seem to be working. He still hadn't let go of her wrist, and she was beginning to get angry. "Let go of me."

He didn't. His eyes were a dark blue, and the bore into hers in challenge.

"Don't leave the house again." he said simply.

"Let go of me Sawyer, or I swear it, you'll be on the ground."

This time he let go of her wrists, choosing to believe her. She was hugging her torso in defense, and he felt like a jerk. She looked up at him, and tried to hide a smile.

"You probably want this back." She said, and began to take off the flannel shirt she had thrown on.

Sawyer looked down, and had forgotten that he didn't have a shirt on.

"Were you in a hurry?" Kate asked through clenched teeth.

He took the shirt from her, and gave her a sly look, and Kate waited for a smart remark. Instead there was silence, and she looked up at Sawyer in question. He was staring intently at her, his face serious. "I was worried about you Freckles."

For a moment, there was no words between them, but they seemed unable to break eye contact. Finally, Kate looked awake nervously. He walked over to her, and seized her hand, kneading it lightly with his thumb to get her attention. When she looked up at him, his brows were knit together in concern and longing. She felt tears spring to her eyes, and he instinctively pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She leaned her head against him, and let out a steadying breath, trying to shake off the eerie morning. After a moment, she looked up at him, and he felt his heart swell. She looked so small in his arms, her face flush from the warmth of the flannel against her cheek. She smiled slightly at him, and he looked her face over as if seeing it for the first time. In fact, he had dreamed about its every detail for many months, but he had never been able to appreciate the real thing except when they had kissed on the island. Feeling suddenly warm, he kissed her forehead, and tucked her body under his arm as they walked back to the house.

The stranger stormed through the forest, tearing and thrashing at anything in his path. He had been so close to her. He could still smell her soap in the air. It invaded his nostrils, and he longed for a cigarette just to get rid of the scent. None of his marks before Kate had ever incensed him the way she could. She was so beautiful, and awful at the same time. Her eyes tormented him in his sleep, and he yearned for her body what seemed like every waking hour. He fell to his knees, out of breathe from exertion, and anger.

If that man, Sawyer, hadn't come along, she would be in his grasp by now. He would be dragging her through these very woods, and no one would ever see her again. Well, Sawyer had made a mistake by getting involved with THAT one. Just like every other man who had ever been in Kate Austen's life. The ones she helped put into the ground. And now, this Sawyer would know the curse that came along with being involved with a woman like that.

Right now he needed to find someplace to recover, to plan. He needed to refocus or he was going to anger his boss, and that was something that even he knew wouldn't be smart. He needed to be smart if he was ever going to get her. He realized now that he had lost control. No, SHE had made him lose control! She had always had the effect on him, and it was time to end.

Ahead he saw the road, and stumbled to it, violence, and misery on his mind.


End file.
